Sorry for the hiatus!

The month of December was insane for us. We had stomache flu, strep throat and *EW!* head lice all sweep through. On top of which it was a fabulous year for my Christmas card designs, which kept me busy busy busy! I'm so glad I was mostly done before the insanity hit, because our Christmas was still quite wonderful :).

We spent a Saturday in Chicago, it was such fun! We saw the Christmas trees from around the world at the Museum of Science and Industry, (as well as all of the other exhibits we adore there) and then went downtown to watch the ice skaters, walk along State Street and admire the animated window displays, Daley plaza for the big tree and nativity set up, watching the horses and carriages, and then we went into Macy's/FAO Shwartz to see thier big tree and all the toys :)

Then the next Saturday we celebrated Christmas with my sister and her family. The girls love to get together with their cousins, and getting to open presents before Christmas! Then we did what my family did when I was a kid, we went to this neighborhood in Aurora that goes all out with the decorations- Leonard's Circle. One whole area is devoted to Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, homemade wooden and painted displays, with spotlights, its so cute!! Then the other half is the Nativity Story, and tradition is that dad reads the story as we go along, with life-size statues of the shepherds and wise-men, sheep and camels, etc. They even have a caution sign as you enter the neighborhood- camel crossing :). At the end there is the town of Bethlehem with the Star of David above it, set up on a little hill in a park, with the stable scene set up near the road. We always got out and ran up to it as kids, so this year Joe parked the van and we all got out. They play Christmas music there as well. As we were going up to it, it began softly snowing- you know, the big quiet snowflakes? *sigh* It was so beautiful!

Christmas morning was lovely as well. My kids just aren't very early risers, so they weren't up until 8:30 or so. Jake got a little overwhelmed with the amount of gifts, and he stopped opening things after a few. He opened more later, though. His favorite was a funky rc car that great-grandma sent him, supposed to be ages 4 and up (Jakers will be 2 on Feb. 1st). He loved it so much, but he broke it last night. It lit up and made all kinds of noise, and when it hit the wall, it would flip over and keep going. Such fun! Until he drove it off the train table :(

Anna's favorite was actually one of Jake's gifts, another age-inappropriate gift that I really dissapproved of. A set of 2 "space blaster" guns. The light up and make noise as well. And my sweet little 3 year old, dressed up in ballet slippers and tutu was running around shooting all of her favorite people. I think I must be the only mom in my area who dislikes toy guns, esp. since we live in a farming community where most of the male population goes off hunting in the fall. I do believe in teaching children gun safety, because there may come a time when they will discover or be shown a gun in someone else's home. (we don't own a gun). I just feel that toy guns, especially ones that have flashing lights and cool sounds, convey they same ideas that guns are dangerous objects that children should not touch. Grandma means well, though- and apparently knows exactly what my children like, better than I do!

okay, somewhere along the lines my post was deleted, but JOE GOT THE JOB!!!! His last day of his former job was December 19th, his first day of training at the new place was December 22nd. There were over 700 applicants in total, for 60 positions. Joe got the only position for his job, they require 2 inventory control clerks, and one is transferring from a different warehouse in March. Until that time, Joe will be covering both shifts (when the warehouse opens) and when the other person transfers, he will go to the 4 to midnight shift. Not entirely ideal, since the older kids get home from school at 4, but school will be out soon after the change, and we will have lots of summer days together :) And Jake will be thrilled to have his Addy home with him most of his awake hours, so it will be fine. Training has been at a hotel 3.5 miles from our house, so Joe has been coming home for lunch :) (this will end when they actually start working, since the warehouse is 7 miles away and they will be getting 2 20min breaks instead of an hour lunch. Training has been a little hard on Joe, since it is actually an entirely different routine than he is used to and they are requiring him to learn a whole new computer program. They want everyone to learn all of the jobs, so training is intense, and the other new hires started a week sooner (???). My shy sweetie is trying to make some new friends as well :).