Hello?

Is there anyone out there?  Anyone that still reads this blog???  Once again this is going to be my attempt to "catch up" and then maybe stay caught up??  I'd like to think so, but we'll see.  So....here's a few things that we've been up to...

We celebrated Ava's 6th birthday.  Miles loves her so much. Can you tell?

So do I...

The video games at the party were a big hit, even if Miles' game was out of order...see the blue screen with white writing that says it needs to be rebooted.  He didn't care...

Darrin had to miss Ava's party b/c he went to the Cowboys/Steelers game with his friend, Ricky...  

We've been playing outside...

 

...on cold November days...

...and warm December days...

Miles has been taking all of his Saturday and Sunday naps in a tent in the living room...

Darrin & I went to Patti's to eat with six other couples.  Darrin was our body guard...

Looks like Jeni Beth was mad, Josh was hungry, and Daniel was tired...

 

There are no words for this one.  It really is worth your time to enlarge this pic and check out all the details.  I don't know what's going on here.

At least the girls have it together.  Southern girls know how to pose for a picture...

After repeated warnings about climbing on the kitchen table, Miles fell off head first...

Darrin has been taking Miles to the office a lot since it's a slow time for him.  He got his Christmas present from Ju Ju (Darrin's assistant coach Julia).  He is very into Ninja Turtles...

And it's finally cold outside, right in time for Christmas.  Mack is adjusting to the drop in temperature...

We closed on our house yesterday and finally found somewhere to rent.  There is nothing on the market right now, so we are going to take our time and wait on the right house to come along.  After looking at several rentals, we found one that I think we will be comfortable in.  It was looking bleak, so I'm very happy to have a clean, suitable place to live.

Remember what happened on Thanksgiving?  Miles got sick at the last minute and we couldn't go to my mom's house.  Well....we were supposed to leave for my mom's house today to celebrate Christmas this weekend, and Miles woke up with a fever at 2am.  He happened to be sleeping in our bed....shocker....and I felt his little body radiating heat.  I asked Darrin to feel him.  He confirmed that he was definitely running a fever, to which I responded, "Is this seriously happening?"  After a doctor's visit it was confirmed that he has the croup, complete with the barking seal cough.  So, Darrin & Miles are staying home this weekend.  I am going to leave early in the morning and spend Saturday with my family and then come home on Sunday morning.  My brother & his family are in town from Texas, and my nephew & his wife are in town from England, so I really want to see everyone, including all you locals :) even if it's only for a day. 

Not to be dramatic, but given the events in our country in the last week, I just can't be upset about the croup.  Sure it's disappointing for our Christmas plans to be disrupted, but it's only one Christmas.  I'm still very excited to see my family even if they are totally settling with me, knowing that Miles was who they really wanted to see :)  And, I'm looking forward to spending Christmas with my boys in a couple days.

This post has taken me nearly 2 hours.  I hope this catches us up. If I get this far behind again, please be a friend and tell me to get with it!  After all, I'm reporting earth shattering things here people!