I love me some Disney World....

We went to Disney World a few weeks ago...

It was a blast.

C'mon, it is Disney, you have to feel the magic and have fun!

I will tell ya, it was great to leave reality for 6 days and just be together as a family,

the four of us...

....crammed into a hotel room, waiting in lines for rides, and eating at buffets,

but mostly,

relaxing and having fun.

It was great. We needed that.

AND we were MOSTLY Blackberry and work free for Todd.

Which was Heaven.

Love me some Disney...

"Hey Campers, it's COLD outside!"

The first week of February we got snowed in.

Yes, in Dallas.

I was in shock!

I mean, wasn't I promised when we moved here in July and I wanted to shoot myself because I was so hot, to look forward to the MILD Texas winter where I wouldn't have to deal with bundling the boys up to go outside?

No shoveling snow?

No ice on everything?

Well someone broke their promise!

We got lots of snow, cold, and ice...

and since this great big state doesn't see this stuff very often we were snowed in for a week.

The boys obviously didn't share in my disgust of the white stuff, they were thrilled.

They had been devastated just weeks earlier at Christmas when there was no snow on the ground, and "Christmas is not Christmas without SNOW"!

Well they got their Christmas wish, just a month and a few weeks late!

Loving this thought today...

My life is but a weaving

between my Lord and me;

I cannot choose the colors,

He worketh steadily.

Oft times He weaveth sorrow,

And I, in foolish pride,

Forget He sees the upper,

And I the under side.

Not 'til the loom is silent

and the shuttles cease to fly,

Shall God unroll the canvas

and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

in the Weaver's skillful hand,

As the threads of gold and silver

in the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares,

nothing this truth can dim.

He gives His very best to those

who leave the choice with Him.

~Author Unknown

I am so grateful for the knowledge that my life is in the hands of the Master Weaver.

I might not always understand why, but I do always have hope and peace.

Today after several months and even years, I feel a tremendous sense of peace.

I am so grateful for that.

I am also grateful for this very handsome guy...who loves me just the way I am.

(just like Mark Darcy with Bridget Jones)

I am one lucky girl...

and these two...

who I wish I could just squeeze forever...

Very Merry...

We had a very Merry Christmas...

My parents came from Rhode Island, and my brother, sister-in-law, and

niece came down from Oklahoma.

We had a great time enjoying the Texas warmth, playing games, watching movies, going bowling, eating out Tex-Mex, and just spending time together.

Todd and the boys making a Gingerbread house...

The finished product...

Grandpa and Abby

America's Next Top Model

Rebecca, Abby, and Jon...

Grandpa and Grandpa and their three grandkiddos!

The tree Christmas morning...

The toy frenze begins...

Just keeping it real...always someone getting hurt with two boys!

Jon is so excited about this gift.

Todd checking out his new stuff...

Mom and Dad and a little elf named Abbalish...

Surveying the damage...

Bowling with the whole fam damily...

Jon thinks he loves to bowl...

Thatcher

Jon and Rebecca livid that I am so so close to beating them!

Jon giving Abby the Vigo look...

Our friends the Churchhills from Cambridge came for a short little visit

while they were visiting her parents here in Frisco.

We loved catching up with them and meeting their cute little new addition!