The Post Where I Finally Wrap up Christmas Mid January

I am just now getting life back in order from the holidays. I would say "normal", but what is normal anyway? I guess that means starting back to homeschool and regular routine. And, while I am usually ready to take down Christmas decorations on Christmas Day becauseeverythingisbrokenbythen, this year I waited until after New Year's.  I think maybe because I just wasn't ready for Christmas to be over. I'm not sure it had really even mentally registered that it was already, in fact, Christmas. I think somewhere in the back of my mind we are still somewhere in SEPTEMBER.

Over Christmas we had some very close friends come and visit during their move across country. They are the type of friends that you can go years without seeing, but pick back up right where you left off. We've known them for going on 15 years.

We had a great visit even though they had some illness going on. The kids enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool and playing games on Christmas day. I so enjoyed just visiting and soaking up the friendship and encouragement.

I actually got Christmas pictures made this year. It's always so hard to have all the kids together while dressed decently when we aren't flying out the door to get to church on time or something.

The boys.....

The girls......

The littles.........

The middles......

The bigs........

The "go ahead and act crazy" picture......

The crazy apparently never stopped.......

Right before singing on stage for the hanging of the green....

And, remember, it's impossible to take a normal picture with him.