Time flies

December was crazy. Our house is fixed for the most part. There is some finishing work to be done, but overall things are back to normal. December highlights:

Anna is 3! She wanted a rubber ducky birthday party, and only wanted her friend Deven. So we had a little party at home with the family, Deven, and Grandma and Grandpa Rummler stopped by. I was pretty proud of the cake I made her, which I can't find a picture of now. . . but imagine a mama duck and 3 baby ducks (which were candles- so cute!) in a bubble bath. Anna got some GeoTrax train stuff from Deven, which has started a love affair with trains. In fact we exchanged some of the Christmas presents we had hiding in the closet for more GeoTrax, and got some hand-me-down tracks from John and Becky. It's been lots of fun for all of us!

Grandma got married! It's never too late for companionship. She married But Hiatt On December 18. Grandma is 90 and Bud is 91. He writes and recites wonderful poetry. At the wedding he shared one he wrote a couple of years ago, that ending with something like, ". . . and meet a lady, willing and bold/Who doesn't think that 90's too old." Too cute. When they were trying to get up to say their vows, he said to Grandma, "You hold me up, and I'll hold you up." Good marriage advice whether you're 19 or 90, I think.


Christmas was fantastic. We had a crazy, chaotic, fun party at Melody's house. All 60-ish of us. Soup, white elephant gifts, kid craziness upstairs. . . it was a good time. I wonder if anyone will be brave enough to host this year! Christmas Day was so much fun. Abby and Anna were both SO excited. We had spent New Years' Eve at Matt's parents', decorating gingerbread houses, watching Elf, and eating an AMAZING turkey dinner that Mark made. They wanted to go right to bed when we got home (this is a miracle. . . nighttime at our house is, well, awful most of the time). Christmas morning was lots of fun. Matt's parents came over for brunch, then we spent the rest of the day with my mom and dad, Grandma and Bud, and Lynda's family. It was such a great day.

New we're at the start of a new year. I'm eating better and feeling better. I'm cutting out most sugar and white flour. This week I'm going to look at a gym membership. I'm determined to get healthier this year. Family history isn't great as far as health is concerned, and while I've never been thin, I've gradually acquired more poundage with each baby. So I hope to take some of that off and just get healthy and active. We want to take up hiking and biking again this Spring, hopefully take a couple of road trips to visit family and maybe make some fun stops along the way.

Health and happiness and a wonderful 2008 to you all!