My last Christmas with all my ducks in a row! I don't know if I'm happy or sad yet. I'll let you know when I know. Jacob will be leaving on his mission soon. This has been the year of trials for us. I shouldn't fool you every year has been hard, this year harder than others though. I made $7, 000 less than last year. Yuck! If Jason hadn't switched jobs without the  raise in pay it would have been super hard.  I'm so thankful for all the blessing I do have, such as the this job switch for Jason. My beautiful children my handsome husband who looks younger than me and my small but cozy house, on a super large lot. Someday Karen Someday, I can add on or build bigger.

Lets see we did a lot this year in spite of the tight funds. We went to Pittsburgh and went to a Pirate game. We went to West Virginia for a family reunion, and sent two of our kids to Florida. Mom and Dad came for a visit as did my sister and her husband.  It was fun. I had a lot of time as there were few day care kids, and yet I still got nothing done. It couldn't be me could it?!

Things that will mark this year...

• Jason hit his one year mark at his new job.
• I was called as Primary President, but not released from Seminary.
•  Jacob's mission call and soon to be and departure, 
•   John received  an all county Soccer award
•  James went to youth conference and all the girls loved him.
•  Kaitlynn is learning her letters and numbers, it is still hard  but she is greatly motivated, oh she is taking dance and , loves it.
•   The Christmas Tree that fell 
• We got two more cats ( Princess hates them, who would a thunk it?)
•  My Dad had a Heart attack ( He is greatly recovered) after his trip. He couldn't handle all the fun.  
• And we gave up on the garden... I always have such High hope for it. I'm not a very good motivator and I can never do it alone. It isn't like the west where you only get weeds where people water. It rains every where here, every day. Ugh my weeds were taller than me by the end of Summer! Some day Karen, some day, when life slows down.  I don't know how my parents did it.

O.K. in spite of making half of what I made last year, I think we had a pretty good year. I'm indeed blessed more than I can state or even see. Thank you Heavenly Father for keeping our heads over water. Thank you for blessing our family, and thank you for this life I have to grow and learn.
Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year. May next year bring only blessings!

Holiday Bliss

 I am so excited I had to write about it. I grew up in a house that celebrated all the holiday's in traditional fashion, but lived so far away from extended family that I don't recall ever visiting Grandma and Grandpa for any of the various holidays, or them visiting us. I'm sure they did and I'm sure we did, I was just too small to remember it. At a ripe old age of not 39 I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, 4 children, 3 cats. There is nothing but family. They live down the street and further down the road in a town close enough to get there in 20 minutes. They live in Meyeresdale and off of Cumberland Highway running all the way to West Virginia. We have relatives coming out of every nook and cranny. We even have relatives of relatives so that makes them family. Of course the group would not be complete with some young fresh face youth in dark suits and name tags. They are tag along's at every family function and they are just happy to be with us. We are over joyed to have them along for the fun. This gregarious group is coming to our house to celebrate this momentous holiday. This holiday to put all others to rest. This isn't a religious holiday it isn't someone's birthday no it isn't even a pagen holiday.. It is an American Holiday... Canada too but they don't count, because they think it's in October.
Jason's getting a couple of tables from the church and we are putting them up in our makeshift play room with toys piled high on all sides. I will make a turkey and many of these relatives will come to feast on Turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, noodles and gravy, sweet potatoes (yams) corn,  baked beans and green bean casserole, rolls and just about any pie you can think of. Apple, cherry, chocolate, coconut cream, banana cream, and mousie mistake of course. By the way this is not a carb free meal. We will have Donna's magic slush that has no secret ingredients, and we will stuff ourselves with more food than  any health conscious human being should ever eat in one sitting. We will skip breakfast and eat light the night before to justify it. If the weather is nice the kids will play football, while they wait for this delicious delight. After the meal or while we consume dessert we will then play the adult game of reminisce about old times and talk politics. We will all declare the government and society in the worse shape ever, no matter who is in office, and provide the solution our enlightened minds and theirs (the opposition) could not possibly come up with. If they would only listen to us the world would be such an obviously better place. No poverty, no crime, and the economy on the right track. Uncles will tell questionable jokes and aunts will laugh at them under their breathes while the delighted nephews aren't afraid and laugh with a full rolling laughs eyes twinkling as they realize the joke is on them. The women will fuss about how there is too much food and how will we ever eat it this weekend, but somehow they will find a way to use it without any going to waste.
I am more excited than any red blooded American woman should be considering the work involved, but this is my last with our oldest son Jacob who will soon serve a mission for our church. He will be gone for two years and this is it. This is his last few memories of home.This to us is Thanks Giving!