Christmas Cup of Tea

Dear friends of ours (Miley Family :) visited our family last night. What a good time we had with them! Time isn't enough when catching up and laughing together with friends. One beautiful thing to share with our other friends and family is a wonderful short story that Mr. Miley recited from his heart by memory. I will attach a link here to the short story of the joy of getting past the hurdle of outward awkwardess to enjoy the soul of a person.

www.atthewell.com/christmas/tea

-Love, Rob

Eating and Fun :)

Kylie loving on the chili I made, complete with Daddy's goldfishy additives.

"Can I help you with something?"

The stately Bud E. Clifton :)

McKenzie being McKenzie

More Fall :)

Fred the Bunny assisting with the leaves :)

McKenzie's shadow :)

A big jump into a not so big leaf pile :)

Still loving it......

Cider Mill and Long Weekends

Life has been so incredibly busy lately, I don't even know where to start. Balancing working 3 jobs, going to school, and all the while managing the house has proved to be a very overwhelming task. This evening, I went to lay down to sleep before my shift started on Tutor.com and I slept HARD for about an hour and a half. When I woke up to two little girls jumping all over me and not feeling the greatest, I now know I need to cut back. As much as the money is fabulous, I have to cut back my hours of tutoring online. Adding 10 hours/week to my schedule, most of which is up to midnight or later, I just am drowning. But, life is GREAT.

My girls are wonderful and my husband is pretty great, too :) Yesterday, while daddy was working on boat stuff, I drove to my favorite cider mill and had a blast with my girls. On the way home, I crashed an old college roommate's house and we had a great time catching up. It's moments like yesterday that take your breath away :) Life is so fast. So, so, so, so fast. I think sometimes I get caught up in the race that I forget to see who is running alongside me. Without my teammates, I know I couldn't finish the race, so I know, too, that we all need to run together.

Here's a pic of the girlies from the Cider Mill...the only good one I got since I was all alone. I was so distracted, I left my 1/2 gallon of cider there! Stink! Alas, so is the life of a mommy, who knows that she couldn't do this without her husband :) Thank you, Jesus that he's still with us :)

Chicago

Final family pic before heading home :)

Oh so sleepy...

She is too :)

I slept later in the day :)

Chicago

My twins taking off their shoes...Kylie is her shadow :)

And of course, Chicago Pizza!

Michelle and I -- 10 years later :)

Schmook and I....7 1/2 years later :)

Chicago

Family shot...and yes...McKenzie IS under the penguin :)

Me and my schmook... :)

Shopping in the Disney Store!

Feeding the pigeons while Mama and Michelle buy popcorn :)