SORRY TO DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.... AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

WE HAD A VERY QUICK DAY AND A HALF WITH GREG'S PARENTS WHO DROVE UP THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. IT WAS A REALLY NICE VISIT, BUT WAY TOO FAST FOR ALL OF US. IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE HERE AND THEN GONE... WE WOULD HAVE LIKED A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH THEM.

THIS IS HOPE'S TYPICAL SMILE NOW... SHE IS REALLY HAMMING THINGS UP THESE DAYS. AND JOJO WAS THRILLED WITH HIS NEW TEDDY BEAR, CARAMEL, THAT HE GOT FROM GRANDMA AND GRANDPA HINTZ WHILE THEY WERE HERE.

THE HAYTER FAMILY, OUR UP STAIRS NEIGHBORS FROM THE SEMINARY, CAME DOWN FOR A FEW DAYS. WHAT A SPECIAL TREAT THAT WAS FOR US. THE KIDS HAD A BALL TOGETHER. IT TOOK ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER THEY WOKE UP THE FIRST DAY TO HEAD INTO THE WOODS TO FIND THE INDIAN GRAVEYARD AND START BUILDING SOME FORTS... THE PARENTS ALL LAUGHED... FORT BUILDING WAS ALWAYS GOING ON AROUND THE SEMINARY CAMPUS. THEY WERE BACK TO THEIR OLD PLAYING WAYS. THE KIDS ALSO KILLED TONS OF TIME PLAYING BOARD AND CARD GAMES.

GREG AND I ENJOYED HAVING TIME TO CHAT AND VISIT ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE WITH OUR FRIENDS. SO VERY MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE DAYS THAT MARYANN WOULD COME DOWN AND HAVE TEA/COFFEE WITH ME IN BUILDING 4A... I REMEMBER SOMETIMES RETREATING TO OUR BEDROOM TO CHAT AT THAT TIME JUST BECAUSE THE APARTMENTS WERE SMALL AND OUTSIDE THERE WERE ALWAYS SOOOOOO MANY OTHER PEOPLE AROUND. THOSE WERE SUCH GREAT TIMES... I STILL MISS IT AND ALL OF OUR SWEET FRIENDS FROM THOSE DAYS.

WE HAD SUCH A NICE, RELAXING TIME THIS PAST WEEK. OF COURSE WE MISSED ALL THE FUN OF MY BIG FAMILY UP NORTH AT THE CABIN ENJOYING THE SNOW, FROZEN LAKE, ICE SKATING, GAME PLAYING... BUT I THINK GOD KNEW JUST WHAT MY BODY AND BLOOD PRESSURE NEEDED THIS YEAR....LOTS OF LAYING AROUND:)

MY IN LAWS WERE REALLY SWEET TO GET ME AN AT HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR AND THAT REALLY HELPS, IT GIVES ME PEACE OF MIND JUST TO BE ABLE TO KEEP A GOOD CLOSE CHECK ON THINGS. IT IS CLEARLY OBVIOUS WHEN I AM DOING TOO MUCH.

OUR TREE IS ALIVE AND WELL... WE PICKED THE PERFECT ONE THIS YEAR... SO IT WILL STAY UP FOR ANOTHER WEEK:) I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE TO SIT AT NIGHT WITH A CHAIR PULLED UP BY THE FIRE, THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS ON, AND HAVING A CHANCE TO READ A BOOK. RIGHT NOW I AM READING 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN... IT IS A SUPER EASY READ AND REALLY PRETTY ASTOUNDING AT TIMES... YEAH, I AM PRETTY SURE I WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO COME BACK IF I HAD THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE HEAVEN.... LIKE COMPLETELY SURE:)

WELL, I BETTER GET THE KIDDOS SOME LUNCH... I THINK I WILL TRY TO POST ABOUT THAT FAVORITE CHRISTMAS PRESENT THIS YEAR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS... LOUIS AND I EDITED SOME PICS TO POST WITH IT:)