Happy Christmas week!

Greetings! Sorry, it has been so long since the last post, but we have had serious computer malfunctions. First, a virus, then the hard drive crashes, so Merry Christmas to me...a new hard drive for my computer! :) Wish I knew more about computers and could charge someone $95 for labor! Yikes!
Anywho...we have been very busy. Mainly, just chasing Sam around and trying to get the child to eat things other than mac-n-cheese and ravioli! We joined a gym (Lifetime Fitness) and LOVE IT! It is great and I can take Sam for up to 2 hrs per day! Such a nice break for mommy, plus I really want him to get more child interaction. We are having a bit of a difficult time being away from mommy and I have been summoned numerous times over the speaker (or tracking me down in the locker room) to come get him - embarrassing. It will get better with time - so they say. It's soo nice to talk with all of my friends and hear them tell me that they've been there too and that it gets better! Why can't we all live in the same town and have these "much needed" mommy chats every day! Thank goodness for blogs and Facebook right! :)
We are traveling a lot this week. Sam and I are spending a few days with my family and then back to Maryville for Christmas with Ben's family. Tonight, I got to meet my precious niece, Meg (Duff's 3rd). She's 4 months old now and absolutely PRECIOUS! She is so tiny and I can't even remember Sam ever being that small. So sweet...she has some of her daddy's red hair too! So cute. I am an official baby holder this week and plan to get my baby fix (no babies for me for a while thank you...I'll just hold them for now thanks)! Other babies I will be holding and loving on this week...Baby Luke Hartman (can't wait)...Baby Annabeth Hazlewood (Ben's brother's new baby)...and Baby Andrew Cabaniss! I mean, seriously, how excited am I! Pictures will be taken...no worries.
Better go, before this post gets too long (too late). I am posting two pictures from last week. We've been going to a really sweet church in our new town and are really enjoying it! Lipscomb friends, Wes and LeeAnne Bender go there and have been so sweet to help make us feel so welcome. I met one of the moms in the nursery last week and she invited me and Sam to a moms/kids Christmas party. It was so nice to be around other moms...when you spend all day with a 16 month old, adult conversation is SOOOOO nice (and nice to actually put on cute clothes and shoes). It's been really hard to be in a new town where we know few people, but everyone was so nice and friendly. Anywho, Santa came to see all the kids. It was such a great idea and this was the worlds best Santa (he attends this church)! He came and took pictures with this kids, gave out candy canes and then read the Night Before Christmas to the kiddos (not to mine b/c he was busy wandering around and being anti-social - I am thinking this is a normal thing for this age - so they tell me). :) It was so sweet and we managed to get a picture of Sam for like 2 seconds on Santa's lap.
Will post some pictures of the week's festivities! Hope everyone enjoys this week and has a WONDERFUL holiday with their families and friends! Do something festive (the time goes by so fast) - here are some suggestions that we have been doing these last few weeks:
- listen to Christmas music - this is a no-brainer...I have an obsession and can't stop buying Christmas cds! New favorite this year - the new Amy Grant cd...amazing (has LOTS of oldies on there too)! Favorite song on there - "I Need a Silent Night"! Buy it...awesome! Other new ones this year (Michael W Smith, Harry Connick Jr, Faith Hill) - all are fabulous. I really wanted the new Casting Crowns, but I didn't! I know...I have issues! :)
- Go look at Christmas lights. Ben and I went last weekend and saw some awesome displays of "exterior illumination"! Make some coffee/hot chocolate...we like to give out awards...(i.e..."Clark W. Griswald award", "Bethel-vegas award (these are the ones with the manger, Santa, rudolph, nutcrackers, you know the ones I'm talking about)", "blue light special award" (this is for one of those houses that uses all blue lights - sorry if that is you reading this - heehee)...you get the idea. I enjoy Christmas lights SOOOOO much. Some may be a bit more my tasteful, but all are FUN and FESTIVE and I am glad that so many people are feeling the Holiday Spirit! So, the tackier the better!
- Bake some Christmas goodies
- Turn off all the lights in your family room (or wherever your tree is) and just sit and relax by the lights of the tree/mantel (whatever else you deck out in twinkle lights)! Our family room is so beautiful like that...love it!
- That's all I've got right now...what all have you guys been doing? What are your traditions?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Santa arriving...you can't see, but there are about 20 kids at Santa's feet waiting...they were SOOOO excited! So fun!