NEW YEAR.....

since SOMEONE, i won't mention her name (kathy) was sick of reading 'blah, blah, blah' on my title page, i'm here to change it!!!!!!
let's see. i wish i had some earth shattering news to share but unfortunately for you, and me, life has been pretty quiet here. the boys are still off school for Christmas break.while they would NEVER admit is, i think they're all ready to go back. i mean, how many games of the wii can one boy play in a day. (try 12!)
we are all a little stir crazy! the weather has been crappy so not much going on in the yard.......
tonight, new years eve, we are ringing in at home. we were invited to a party but decided to spend the evening with the boys. well, jack ended up going to his best buddy, kaidens for the night. the other two have spent the evening playing Lego, monopoly and watching, yup, you guessed it....SPONGE BOB. what an idiot.(sponge bob, not my children).we did have dinner out with friends. we hit the mexican restarant at 5. old people time. our time with them went too fast as time tends to do with great friends. rye and i spent the rest of our evening checking emails, eBay and face book. and of course, eating as much junk food as we can before the diets start in the morning.
3o more mins. i think we can hang on. i'm a night owl so this is all great and fine for me. some others in our house are hanging on by a thread....
we are wishing you all a great new year!
well, there you have it. i should have maybe titled this post.'BLAH, BLAH, BLAH'.
what do you have to say about that WUBBEN? :)

blah, blah, blah from traci .......

i hope this finds you all well after the holiday rush. i am saddened and yet, somewhat relieved to be done with the hustle and bustle of it all. we had a fabulous time with family and the Best part of it all, SNOW!!! it's been years since we've had a white Christmas. growing up in Michigan, i think the love of the white stuff is in my blood. snow started falling a few days before Christmas and lucky for us, it never stopped! i spent MUCH time (is that proper english?) at my window, watching the flakes fall. there is something about being 'stuck' indoors. thankfully, we didn't have anything really pressing to get out for. church, however, was cancelled on Christmas eve which was a bummer. that is always a special service for us. Christmas eve night we had the likkel clan over. it was a special treat to be able to welcome the newest member to our family, elijah calvin grant black. our niece taya, husband ross and their kids(isaiah & elijah) were able to come from Arkansas. after almost a week on the road, blizzards galore, they made it to us safely. it's always a good time wherever the likkels are involved.
Christmas morning we spent opening gifts with the boys. they all got what they wanted. star wars Lego and webkinz. my husband was also, as usual, so good to me. i crabbed about my camera long enough. a new camera, simple point and shoot, for me. rye got the Bourne Trilogy. if you haven't seem the movies, GO RENT THEM. (or borrow ours). Christmas day, afternoon, my family came over. as always,a good time. we even had the privilege of 'skyping' with my sister and family. it was incredible. for those who don't know what skyp is, it's basically video conferencing. we can both see each and talk, LIVE. since they are not able to make it here during the holidays, it was almost as if they were here. so, once again, Christmas is here and gone, all too quickly. our prayer is that you,too,were able to slow down and remember the the true meaning of Christmas,celebrating our Saviors birth.
i uploaded a bunch of pictures. forgive me...they go on and on. not to mention the fact that i had to put TWO slideshows up because i couldn't remeber how to do it properly. (amy, i was totally paying attention but somehow it slipped my memory! AAHHH) i normally don't 'do' scenery pictures but let me tell you, that snow was prettier than i remember it ever being.
so, there you have it. blog updated. glad to have THAT checked of my list....

Christmas Day....