Splash in the Rain Puddles

It's been a great season of celebrating our Savior and the wonderful gifts of family and friends.  Tomorrow begins a new year and I'm always grateful for that feeling of starting fresh and new.  I'm so thankful we serve a God who gives us endless opportunities to try again, to do better, to continue to grow and be molded into the person he desires us to be.  That's really my resolution each and every year....to stay firm and steady....right there in the palm of His hand...then he will mold me and make me new....his mercies will always be new each morning...and I will get to reap all the joys of growing closer and closer to my Father.  we had a wonderful time celebrating an early Christmas with Gramps and Grandma! they even got to see Luke's preschool program. aka cutest thing ever.  a few fun nights of popcorn and movies and of course some serious football watching lots of wood chopping thanks to these three helpers and some pretty

It's that wonderful time of year.  That time of year when mom says, "under no circumstance. will ANYONE.  open ANY BOX. that might be sitting outside the door. at ANY TIME!" :)  because boxes by the door are now the only way my Christmas shopping gets done.  Honestly, between Walmart grocery pick up (which deserves a post all of it's own, because it's just that amazing), and my friend Amazon prime, I pretty much haven't been in a retail store for a good 5 months now.  I do find myself slightly missing the Christmas decorations in the isles, the music playing, the hustle and bustle.  But only slightly.  Mostly I just love that I'm not standing in lines....rummaging through the piles to find a right size....or circling the parking lot just praying for a spot.  Nope.  I have fully embraced the world of online shopping.  We've been doing all the things that we usually do this time of year.  I love how my kids want to do everything just like we've