Busy times!

Wow -- I've been so busy lately I just haven't had time to sit down and blog.  Tyler finished up school on the 17th, and we went to Texas that day for Randi's graduation on the 18th. We had Christmas with the family on the 20th, came back home on the 21st.  Wrapped more gifts on the 22nd, and we went out for a nice dinner for my birthday on the 23rd.  Our neighbors had their annual Christmas open house on the 24th, and I made my now-famous pecan pie to take to Jennifer's for Christmas, which was -- of course -- the next day.  Tyler didn't come down on Christmas morning until 5 - ha!  Far better than the 2:30 a.m. show-up last year!  Santa was good to us again this time.  We exhanged our gifts at home in the morning (we started at 7, not at 5!), then we ate waffles, and I made some bread pudding to take to Jennifer and Brian's for that evening.  It was really nice. We got home late that night.  The next couple of days I wrapped up the rest of the Christmas gifts and put away all the packaging and wrapping paper.

Randi and Zack arrived on the 30th in anticipation of our now-famous (infamous?) 2nd Annual New Year's Eve Bash.  Jacque, Mark, Becca, and Julea came over early in the day on New Year's Eve, and we exchanged gifts with them.  Then Julie and David arrived, and we did yet another gift exchange.  Finally, Brian and Jennifer came over, our neighbors (Gary and Ann) came, then later on Dana, Jacob, Lindy, Mama, and Daddy showed up, and we proceeded to party into the wee hours of January 1.  We had a great time!  I am so blessed with a wonderful and close family.  The food was awesome -- and FUN (you had to be there...)!  Brian treated us to a beautiful fireworks display (LOVE fireworks).  We had music and a warming fire on the pool deck, and even a bonfire on the back 40.  We didn't burn anything down -- it was so much fun!  We've decided that it just needs to be an annual ("anal") event -- ha! 

Most folks stayed here and then left on the 2nd.  I took Julie and David out for lunch on Sunday, while Zack took Randi out for a birthday lunch on the Tchefuncta River.  We celebrated her birthday with an ice cream sandwich cake at church on Sunday, and a sopapilla cheesecake later that night.  We watched the DVR-version of the Cowboys' ROMPING of the Eagles -- woohoo!

Randi had another PT school interview on Monday, so she and Zack left at 5:00 a.m. to drive to San Antonio for that.  Tyler went back to school on Monday, and we tried to get back to routine.  I spent the whole day on my knees scrubbing the kitchen floor with ammonia - ha!  Tyler had a basketball game that night.  I spent all day Tuesday taking down Christmas and putting all that stuff back in the attic.  Wednesday, I worked at clearing my desk - whew! Tyler had tennis after school, then a basketball game after that.  I worked most of the day on Thursday getting pictures for the photo book to show the judge about our home life.  Friday, school was cancelled because it was supposed to be icy, then we went to Chuck E Cheese for a birthday party that night.  I received on Friday the information from the agency regarding documents we need for the American embassy appointment, so I spent time looking through that and filling out a couple of forms. 

Finally, I'm caught up to today, Saturday.  Tyler had basketball pictures this morning, and now I'm trying to figure out what to have for lunch after I get the blog updated.  Tyler was asked to tryout for allstars, but we won't be around for the allstar game, so we declined.  He will miss his last game AND the playoffs.  Coach isn't happy about missing "the big guy in the middle."  Tyler's the tallest kid on the team, so he plays center, and blocks many, many shots!  He's doing great, and I hope he continues to be interested in basketball because David and I love basketball -- you just HAVE to love an indoor sport.  Weather is just a non-factor!  Coach wants Tyler to do a 13-week training program that they offer for the kids, I guess in the off-season.  Then he asked what other sports Tyler plays -huh?  David said, "All of them."  He plays basketball, football, baseball, soccer, golf, and tennis.  (If we could just get him to drop soccer... We aren't big fans.)  Soccer and football are his favorites.  He probably has the most talent for golf.

I'm getting anxious about our trip.  David packed his suitcase yesterday!  He has to go to Atlanta for a few days next week, and returns on Friday afternoon.  I will start packing later today, but Julie's baby shower is next Friday night, so I have to fly to Texas on Friday, then come back Saturday for the Saints' playoff game that afternoon.  Obviously, I'll be needing some of the same things in both suitcases, so I can't pack everything for the big trip, yet.  So much to do, so little time.  Isn't that always the case?