Happy Weekend!

This is the time of year where it all starts comin' at ya! It starts with Halloween, Thanksgiving, gift buying, taking down and putting up decorations, traveling, parties, Christmas card writing, picture taking, connecting ... I can start to feel overwhelmed all at once come mid October. Not having any family around us with David's entire family in Australia and mine in California, it simplifies things, however we don't have family here, which can feel a bit lonely. We knew this when we decided to move, but we also knew that friends and family move too, so we were never garaunteed that people we loved would stay in the same place "just for us".

The neat thing about our situation however, is that when people come to see us (or when we go see them) we get their company for more than a dinner or more than a day. They stay for the weekend or in David's sister's case, about 11 days at Christmas time. We are so thrilled that we will have 6 of his family members coming to visit us during this time of year, which happens to be my favorite time of year. We are going to absolutely have a blast cooking, sitting in front of the fireplace with a hot cocoa or glass of wine watching the snow fall over the bare birch tree that sits in front of our window ... we'll hit some fabulous restaurants here that I've been searching out, we'll have movies in the basement with popcorn and junior mints that won't cost us $4 a box! (We'll just buy them from Evan which is his new business ... selling candy). This visit will more than make up for some lost time with relatives.

They will lbe the first family members to meet our new daughter. Sue and I use to write such long letters to eachother (this was before free email, wayyyy long ago) and we use to talk for hours on the phone when I (ooops!) use to call her from work at BMG Music Publishing. Then I had kids .... and it is long spaces in between connecting with her. So I cannot wait to have Sue and her family "captive" in my living room where they cannot escape to have these fabulous long winded conversations that go on for days.

Tigist is going to be in heaven with all of these people in the house. We'll have the 3 kids bunk in our room (which they love to do). The family coming will have their own rooms and space. I think we should make this a tradition to have a bunch of people over for a week during Christmas time. So those of you who are looking for a White Christmas, give us a call and book your stay now!

The boys continue to amaze me at their level of maturity in helping out with Tigist. They are 100% on board and have even offered to put her to bed, read her books, Brandon rides her on his electric mini motorcycle around the neighborhood where she has become friends with so many kids around the neighborhood. She loves to play out front when we are cleaning the garage or Evan is skateboarding or Brandon is riding his motorcycle ... she just loves hanging out with the boys. They just love her so SOOOO much there is no doubt! She is their full fledged sister and they would do anything for her!

You all have a great weekend. And don't let the holidays take you off track from the heart and soul of what it all is really about!!!