OMG

Has it really been this long?

Time just flies by.

Kyle has been back for his mid tour leave and now he is back for good (til next time, anyway).

My daughter and her family have relocated to NC. (YEAH!)

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have come and gone.

I hope everyone is doing great. I miss you all!

Christina

Merry Christmas

A Happy and Safe Holiday Season to All!

Stumble It!

Happy Holidays!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

The season is upon us ALREADY!

This past year has totally flown by.

My baby has completed basic and AIT and is now preparing to go to Iraq. He also went got himself engaged to a lovely young lady. He is grown up and moving on with life.

My middle son is at the end of education journey (for now) and will be getting his graduate degree. He is wanting to join the Peace Corps.

My daughter and eldest, mother of my 2 granddaughters, has moved up through the corporate ladder and now manages her own store.

I am very proud of my children. They are the greatest blessing of my life.

We have gone through some trials with my mom's health. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring and had surgery in August. She has had a particularly difficult time with the chemo this fall. (She was hospitalized twice.) And she will have to undergo a second surgery and radiation in January. It has been difficult to be so far from her. We talk on a daily basis. I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.

The homestead has gone through some evolution. Chickens were added. The were so fun to watch grow up. Now they are laying eggs. I have enough egg lovers at work to take care of the excess. The aquaponics system is up and running. We have harvested lettuce and spinach. We have onions and cilantro growing in there now. We have experimented with some ground cover crops. The clover, millet and sorghum grew and the chickens loved the extra addition to their diet. We had an excellent garlic harvest. The sweet potatoes are fantastic. The corn and tomatoes had a rough time this year. Strawberries and collard were fantastic. I was so glad to put up lots of jam. The bread machine we added is fantastic. We make all our breads. Next year we are looking to purchase our own land and add some pigs and possibly a cow to the menagerie. We enjoy growing and eating our own food.

I changed jobs and am in a much better position. I ditched the glasses and got contacts. My sweetie would like contacts for Christmas. So another vanity convert! We were able to spend more time than usual with the kids this year. I do love having them around. I meet a lovely woman this summer. It was like we had known each other forever. It is great to have a best friend. She did move away, onto a better place for her. I am glad that I was able to play a part in helping her reach her goals. We are still in daily contact.

I visit my internet friends on a weekly basis. I just seemed to run out of time. I enjoy reading your blogs and miss stopping by on a daily basis. To some of my special friends, John at Potpolotics.com, Barb at A Cowboy's Wife, Robbyn at The Back Forty, Lacy at Razor Family Farms (who has her family now! YIPPY!) Julie at Julie's Journal, Breezie at Forum Finder, Mel at SlogBite.com..... Just to mention a very, very small part of you. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship.

To Everyone Everywhere...
Have safe and joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

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