Almost two weeks, but we're not lost! Promise!

Even though some days have felt like we are lost - we're not! The last two weeks we have been fighting being sick. All five of us have battled the common cold (some of us get better only to revisit it again) and Kris and I both had the stomach virus. It can just suck the life out of you! Luckily the kids did not share the pain this time. But, it might be worse with the parents getting it. The house basically shuts down...no clean dishes, no clean clothes, toys everywhere, etc. We are now to the point we are trying to get back on track around here. And by back on track, I also mean with my blogging!

I must admit two other factors that have plagued this household and aided in my absence: party planning and reading.

PARTY PLANNING: I have been planning invitations, guest lists, party games, party food, goody bags, thank you notes, birthday cake ideas, class parties, presents, and wrapped gifts since October. It averages to about two a month when you count the classroom parties and Sunday School parties and Christmas...and just about all at our house! After finishing Ann Elise's birthday party on the 8th, I was tired. My brain needed a break. I had not really thought about it. But, I was carrying around so many ideas and plans and lists in my head that it was exhausting. I know, I know it does not have to be that hard. But, I do enjoy the process! It is just that this was the first year that we celebrated straight through (with Bankston Hays' birthday being added to the mix). Maybe I can learn from this year and plan ahead a little better!

READING: After getting my thirst for reading quenched with Even Now by Karen Kingsbury during our trip to Baltimore, I could. Not. Stop! I immediately checked out the sequel, Ever After, and read it in two short days. AWESOME! I cannot say enough good things about this writer and am looking forward to checking out a few more! (Yes, Kris found me several times sobbing about people I don't know) And, I caved and started the Twilight series. I read the first book and really liked it. It certainly pulled me in, held my interest, and left me wanting to read the next one! I finished the second book, New Moon, a few days ago and already have the third book on hold at the library. So, once it gets returned...I've go it! I definitely like the series! I can't say I am quite as gung-ho as most. I did get past the whole "vampire" issue because, as friends had told me, the focus is more on the love story. I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe it is because I was bouncing back and forth from a Christian novel to a secular novel or that it has been years since I read a secular piece (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series). I am just used to that aspect, I guess! I must say (and I was told this before I read them) there are no inappropriate relationships outside of marriage and no bad language. I'll even admit I immediately went to the computer and watched every trailer I could find! I am really looking forward to seeing the movie and seeing how the movie differs from my imagination. I even went ahead and added Twilight, the movie, to our Netflix Queue (it gets released in March)!!!