So I am not doing a very good job at posting these days. Life has been busy busy busy..but you are about to get a glimpse of the reasoning behind no posting...
First Up, Christmas!!
Christmas was a bit different this year...as we get older though I have realized Christmas is what you make of it...it's not always going to be the same as when you were a kid...so here's to new traditions!
We did Christmas with my family on December 18th...Happy Anniversary to us and Merry Christmas to us all in the same day! It was fun though! We did Christmas at Andrea's house this year and that was super fun. We had a blast opening presents:
I mean seriously..is she not the cutest? (Nana too!)
Ok, so I did not get any pictures of my sister and I...but can you see why? I mean...I couldn't keep the camera off my sweet girl! She is just adorable!!
So Christmas with my family was wonderful! We got to spend some great time together which is what Christmas is about....apart from our Loving Savior of course...we never forget the Reason for the Season!
Then Matt headed off to the great states of....
and
I sure wish I could have gone with him, but I couldn't because of work and something you will be hearing about in a few more minutes!
Here is a glimpse of Matt's time in Kentucky and Ohio:
He played Santa!! Isn't he the best? I just absolutely hate that I missed this!!! I am a lucky girl!!
I really wish I could have been there to see my family but thankful for the time that Matt got to spend with them and even more thankful for their love and support even when I couldn't make it! I am a blessed girl!
And even more blessed because my other parents got me this:
YES!! Isn't it awesome! I haven't put it down! And with the money I got from my parents I got accessories for it! WIN/WIN!!!
So Christmas, while different than I would have like this year, was really good...we rolled with the punches and God really showed me just how blessed I am to have the family that I do.
So now that Christmas has passed...Why in the world could I not have gone to Kentucky besides work?
I got to meet my cousin Killian!
I have not seen him in 15 years! It was so good to reconnect with him again! It's amazing what good God can bring from tragedy. After losing my Uncle Keith this summer, it was really hard on the family. And amidst all the pain, God put Killian into our lives again and brought happiness into our hearts again.
AND....while he was here we got to do some really fun things!
We taught him the family game of Crying Canasta!
And he learned how to bridge while shuffling! He and Nanny made the perfect partners! They dominated the whole time he was in! It was so much fun!
Then we got to go to Hot Springs with Aunt Sherry, Uncle Randy, and Aunt Lea.
(I will add those pictures at a later time! They have the fun pictures!)
While we were there we went to the different art galleries, the Arlington, walked part of the trail behind the bathhouses, and went to Oaklawn to visit Captain Keith (my uncle Keith's horse that my Uncle Robbie and Uncle Randy kept in memory of Uncle Keith. I even learned that we have a Brown family crest! I wish I had a picture of it but apparently in latin under the crest is says "Let Majesty Flourish." SO fitting, I think!)
And then we were able to visit Eureka Springs with Uncle Robbie, Aunt Rhonda, and Sydney. We stayed in:
The Crescent Hotel!
AND....while he was here we got to do some really fun things!
We taught him the family game of Crying Canasta!
Then we got to go to Hot Springs with Aunt Sherry, Uncle Randy, and Aunt Lea.
(I will add those pictures at a later time! They have the fun pictures!)
While we were there we went to the different art galleries, the Arlington, walked part of the trail behind the bathhouses, and went to Oaklawn to visit Captain Keith (my uncle Keith's horse that my Uncle Robbie and Uncle Randy kept in memory of Uncle Keith. I even learned that we have a Brown family crest! I wish I had a picture of it but apparently in latin under the crest is says "Let Majesty Flourish." SO fitting, I think!)
And then we were able to visit Eureka Springs with Uncle Robbie, Aunt Rhonda, and Sydney. We stayed in:
The Crescent Hotel!
This was my Room:
LOVED that tub!!! It was so fun!
We took a walk around outside and this is what we saw:
I loved every minute!! I have more pictures to post here later as well! But you get the idea for now!! I feel so blessed to have been able to spend that time with my family. I miss getting to that as often as we used to. But I think we all agreed it had been far too long since we had been able to spend that quality time so hopefully we will be able to do more from here on out!
It was such a good time to have Killian here. I miss him so much already! I am truly looking forward to his next visit...which hopefully will be sooner rather than later...
Such a good Holiday time with family...although I did miss my Eastridge family very much. I couldn't ask for better, more understanding, more supportive people to have in my life! God blessed me richly!
I hope you had as great a time as I this Christmas!!
Happy New Year and may you be blessed in many ways this year!!
Love You Mean It,
We took a walk around outside and this is what we saw:
I loved every minute!! I have more pictures to post here later as well! But you get the idea for now!! I feel so blessed to have been able to spend that time with my family. I miss getting to that as often as we used to. But I think we all agreed it had been far too long since we had been able to spend that quality time so hopefully we will be able to do more from here on out!
It was such a good time to have Killian here. I miss him so much already! I am truly looking forward to his next visit...which hopefully will be sooner rather than later...
Such a good Holiday time with family...although I did miss my Eastridge family very much. I couldn't ask for better, more understanding, more supportive people to have in my life! God blessed me richly!
I hope you had as great a time as I this Christmas!!
Happy New Year and may you be blessed in many ways this year!!
Love You Mean It,
