• christmas cards are done and ready to be mailed. i think this is a record.
• it was great to see my sisters.
• i haven't run in 2 weeks. ugh! i need to make friends with my treadmill again. it's getting cold here.
• i caved...our christmas tree was up before thanksgiving. the funny thing is, it doesn't look like the same tree. our living room has really high vaulted ceilings (think giraffe), and it makes our 6 ft. tree look like a little charlie brown tree. i still love it, but we may have to be on the look out for a good clearance one this year.
• our door should be up this weekend. woo hoo!! (pictures to come).
  
• i haven't quite made the goal of 365 pictures this year, but i'm glad i tried. i took more pictures this year than i probably would have.
• i'm loving all the natural light we get in this house. maybe this winter won't be so dreary?!
• i read the other day that the average american spends $800 for christmas. wow!
• we're dealing with pink eye here. giving eye drops 3x's a day is no fun!
  

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::a beautiful sight off our back deck.

today i spent the day with my friend angela. we went shopping and to lunch and coffee with no kids. it was wonderful! i love love love my kids, but it was a much needed break for me. it had been one of those tough weeks - lots of complaining and bickering about school, and i was just feeling exhausted and worn out. angela was the perfect person to spend time with today. she has a way of seeing that opens my eyes to ordinary amazing grace. too often I miss it. i don’t see all the good things that He is giving me. i have been thinking about this, and have decided to join and possibly blog about it for 2011. i am indeed, showered with grace, and i want to recognize it more than i have been.

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i'm trying to wait until after thanksgiving to put up the tree, but christmas is still showing up a little early.
i can't help it. i love christmas!

when are you putting up your tree?

180:365

we've been having some amazing sunsets lately!

we had an awesome time with our guests from peru! they were here for two weeks. i made breakfast and dinner every night, which doesn't normally happen around here. i was glad to do it though, and they loved trying new things. we were all sad to see them go. we're even thinking about going to visit them someday, but for now we'll have to skype.

tomorrow my boy will be 10! i really can't believe it. the time has gone so fast. people always say it does, but it's hard to comprehend until you're there. no school tomorrow. we're planning on having a picnic at the park w/cousins (a picnic in november!! the weather has been amazing lately!), and then celebrating at his favorite restaurant for dinner. should be a fun day!

can you believe we are still working on our new door! i can't believe how much work it has been, and how many coats of stain it has taken. hopefully we'll have it up by thanksgiving...

speaking of thanksgiving, my sister is coming back from california for that week. can't wait to be with all of my sisters! those moments are few and far between.

2011

considering running this again next fall:



who's with me?
kate? keri? amanda?

cards

i read on a friend's blog last week that Shutterfly is giving away free Christmas Cards to bloggers. how awesome!

they have some really cute photo cards that can either be printed on card stock or on photo paper.

They are also offering gift tags

have you ordered your christmas cards yet?