November in Oregon

I've been horrible about posting and I do apologize. I've missed you all! So let's catch up with each other, shall we? Drop me a line and let me know what's new with you.

So me, I can't believe November is here already and the holidays are right around the corner. Time just seems to being whizzing by. With my job, I'm in the retail stores almost every day, and they actually put the Christmas stuff up right after the kids went back to school. As soon as all the notebooks, pencils, binders and backpacks where gone, the Christmas trees went up. It was mildly terrifying. I thought it might ruin my holiday spirit at first. I thought by the holidays I might be grumpy and scroogey and yelling bah-humbug at every passerby. Now that November has rolled around, I happily discover that isn't the case. I am starting to get a warm feeling deep in my heart that is radiating slowly throughout my body into the very ends of my fingers and toes, just like the darn Grinch. I'm having fantasies filled with Tofurkey and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and family and friends gathered together around the table. I find myself drifting into thoughts of my wonderful family and all of my amazing friends and the feeling so very thankful. I feel thankful that we are close to the Holman's during the holidays as it makes it so much more special being close to family. They have really made me part of their family and I have so enjoyed becoming part of my second families' holiday traditions. (Okay, now I'm distracted because I'm thinking about fruit soup....mmmmmm........) I am also thankful that Joe and Tracey moved to Portland because they are my family now, too. It's going to be exciting this year to get to spend some of little Nylah Hnat's very first Christmas with her! What a special Christmas this is going to be!
And there's more... as an added special bonus to the coming season, I haven't been able to stop smiling since we purchased tickets to go back to Iowa for post-Christmas celebration with my parents at the beginning of January. I think it's going to be a perfect way to start out 2008. I think I've also got Mom talked into coming out for a visit a month or two after that. We are doing a good job of spreading the visits out nicely and talking on the phone so being far away is more bearable. I'm looking forward to (hopefully lots) of snow when we're back in January and also sneaking in to vote in the primary. Go HRC! Have they moved it up that far yet? We'll at least get a good head's up on the election commercials.

On another front and probably my most annoyingly-talked-about subject, our kitchen is almost finished. Another thing to be thankful for! It is now fully functioning and looking great. We still have a few finishing touches to complete but we're so close. Here are a few pictures.