Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home...

Ahh...there's nothing like the sweet feeling of coming HOME after a nice visit with family.  Don't get me wrong -- I loved seeing everyone and it was get to laugh and tell stories and make new memories -- but there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed with your children safely tucked in their own beds right down the hall.

When Chris and I visit his parents in Alabama, we most often sleep in their camper/RV (think Cousin Eddie's RV in the movie Christmas Vacation) and let the kids take their spare room.  They have to share a bed, which is always interesting, but the fact that we are outside means we can sometimes sleep in and let the grandparents take morning duty.  Sleeping in the camper, however, means it is cold and not at all comfortable.  Sleeping on the mattress (if you can call it that) is kind of like sleeping on a board with a thin pillowy-type substance lying on top of it.  Chris thinks its really comfy.  I tend to disagree.  I am SUPER grateful for a free place to stay where the people love me unconditionally and feed me such wonderful, delicious, fattening food upon waking (and every few hours afterwards) so I am NOT complaining. In fact, I think it's great, and I always secretly wish Chris would walk into his parents' house in the mornings saying, "Morning, y'all!  Crapper's full!"  (I know that's not the word used in the movie, but you get the point.  And if you haven't ever seen Christmas Vacation, you.are.missing.out.)

Speaking of beds, it is time to get my kiddos in the bath and in their beds, after which I plan to plant my butt in my aforementioned beloved bed.  Good night!

Counting my Blessings

New Year's Day...Normally by now I'd be making a long list of things I'd like to change about myself in the upcoming year, and after about a week I would give up and it would all be over.  As I posted a couple of days ago, this year I don't plan to make a lot of promises I'll never keep, but I plan to spend a few moments every day counting my blessings and actually writing it down (or, to be more accurate, typing it out) here on this blog. 

Today's blessing is just the ability to be here in Alabama with Chris' family celebrating a late Christmas and bringing in the New Year with people who love us.  Watching Andrew and Hannah play with their cousins and enjoy them so intensely...it's priceless.  I sometimes wish we lived closer to them, but to be honest, I think the distance makes the time spent with them so much more precious and much more enjoyable. 

I love that Andrew & Hannah enjoy bathroom humor as much as their mom and dad do...The word "underwear" has brought an abundance of giggles today.  It's quite funny. :)  It's been a low-key, lazy day due to all the rain here, but really...this is exactly my kind of day.  I am one happy girl!