Raining Friends and Family

It's been said, "When it rains, it pours." Well, that's what's happened this month! I had the great privilege to have 3 old friends plus my dad visit over the course of 10 days! (Dad, notice I called my friends old, but not you.) :) Kelly came for a few days, then Jen & Brenda, then Dad. It was great to spend time with my girlfriends, sharing mothering struggles, reminiscing about old times, and just talking. Heath was even nice enough to give Jen and Brenda and me a kid-free day at the mall! Of all the blessings God gives, friends are one of the greatest. Plus, I get to see Dad again, with the rest of my family (except Michael) in just a few days. They're coming here for Christmas! December is turning into a very full month, busy and a bit exhausting, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

First Snowfall!

We had our first snow day on December 5th! We ended up with a few inches, which lasted a couple days. Kelly and Ian Burtelson were visiting at the time. The boys had a great time playing, while Kelly and I froze. It was very pretty though. Then it got back up to the 60's a few days later. The weather sure doesn't get boring around here!

and the Season begins. . .

We spent Thanksgiving morning together making pages for our family "Thankfulness Notebook". Heath's parents hosted the big dinner for the McGrain side of the family, so we spent the afternoon and evening there. . . eating way too much delicious food! The day after Thanksgiving is our Christmas tree day. So we put up our artificial tree (pre-lit. Woohoo!!), and listened to the first Christmas music of the season. The boys were very fascinated with the lights and ornaments, and it was a really nice day together. Happy Holidays to you all!

Jesse turns 2!

Jesse had a fun family dinner on his birthday, November 7th. Then on Sunday we had grandparents, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins over for a party. He's growing fast, talking a lot, and learning new things every day. It's hard to believe he's 2 already . . . time flies!

A Very Unwelcome Visitor

As I was reading on the couch during the boys' naptime, I noticed something move on the floor. I glanced up expecting a fly or other small insect. But no such luck. It was a snake!!! Now, it was only a little bitty thing, the thickness of a pencil and maybe a foot long. But it was definitely a snake. The devil's animal. Slithering and nasty. IN MY HOUSE. I freaked out, called Heath, hyperventilating the whole time. He calmly told me to get a broom and squish it or sweep it outside or into a bucket. I couldn't bring myself to do any of those. I just stood there panicking! But finally I worked up the nerve to get a tupperware and push it in with the broom. I flipped it over and piled a ton of books on it, just in case it should try to escape. Then I bravely waited for my knight-in-shining-armor of a husband to come home and rescue me. I have proved to myself that I am much more of a whimp than I ever knew. Especially when a few days later I heard Amanda's story of the 7-foot snake she carried out of her house with her bare hands!

Ethan turns 4!

Ethan turned 4 on October 21st. That night he said to me, "Why aren't I as tall as Mommy and Daddy now?" I guess he thought "4" was the magic age that you become a grown up. The next morning, as I was pouring his juice for breakfast into a small plastic cup, he said "Mommy, I need a grown-up cup now that I'm 4." So I got him a big plastic cup, and all was well.

The house is finished!

Heath has finished the family room addition! It's off the back of the house, behind where the dining room was. He put in a beautiful stone fireplace, and lots of windows and skylights. We love the extra space and the bright, cheery room! And we're finally finished with this house! Oh wait, we still want to put a patio out back, and then we'll really be done. Until we start the next house . . .