Well, it has been over a month since I have posted anything on my blog! I can't believe it! The time is just flying by! It amazes me that December is already 2 weeks in! My parents and grandparents are coming in next weekend to celebrate Christmas. Lucas and I won't be making the trek back to Texas this year, unfortunately because we are traveling to Brazil in January and don't have enough vacation... Welcome to the real world!!!! It will be great to celebrate Christmas with the family, but I am said that this is the first Christmas in my life that I am not going to get to spend with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin, Melissa. It just won't be the same without them! The fam is arriving Thursday, December 18th and will stay through the weekend. I am hoping that we will get to travel up to Nashville to go to the Gaylord Opryland and see the ice sculptures, and maybe visit with my Aunt and Uncle Kenneth and Glenda. Christmas soapbox: Christmas is my favorite time of the year. So many people see this time of the year as a time of stress, but I just can't imagine that! This is the time for family and friends, fun and food, love and joy, relaxation and fellowship. I think that the key to making Christmas the most memorable time of the year is remembering what the season is truly about. Maybe if everyone would just take the time to focus on the TRUE meaning of Christmas, rather than all the money that we "have" to spend, all of the gifts that we "have" to buy, and all of the food that we "have" to prepare, and just remember that this is a season for CELEBRATION. Just think where we would be without the love of Christ today, and just give thanks. I challenge everyone not to get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas this year, and truly make a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Maybe we can all take the tradition of one of my friends and sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus this year. Is that not enough reason to celebrate and put the worries of the world behind us!? You are my freedom Jesus you’re the reason I’m kneeling again at Your throne Where would I be without You Here in my life? ~Love that song! :-) Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!!!

Grammy and Papa came to visit us in November! Almost a month ago now! Wow how time flies! It was so good to have them here! They had not been to Huntsville since we moved here, almost two years ago now! (Can you believe that we have lived here that long?!)

We had a great time with them. They came on Friday afternoon and we went to Casa Blanca (one of the best Mexican restaurants in town in my opinion... but boy do I miss Texas Mexican food...) Of course it was FREEZING when they were here, and it rained most of the time they were here, so we didn't get to go see as many things as I had hoped that we would... but the trees were still beautiful, although we had had a storm come through, so some of the leaves were beginning to fall.

We took them up to Monte Sano Mountain and enjoyed the view. We played several games while they were here also, and they came to our church with us! We have been so truly blessed with our church. I don't think that I could have made it here with out it!

Me and Grammy on top of Monte Sano

Grammy, Papa, and me looking out over Huntsville

Cute little cabin on the mountain! - Look at all of those leaves!

Cool tree up on the mountain with a beautiful view! I LOVE the fall.

On Sunday afternoon my Aunt and Uncle, from Nashville came down to have lunch with us! Lucas made his WONDERFUL white sauce (that's right ladies, I have the best husband in the world!) We visited with them for most of the afternoon, then played games in the evening with Grammy and Papa once Kenneth and Glenda left.

On Monday, we went to Rainbow Mountain to see some more pretty places, and to let Hailey run around a little. It was really nice, and I'm glad that the weather let up enough for us to enjoy nature a little.

Lucas posing :-)

Hailey crawled through a tunnel!