Happy New Year- I'm already behind

Wow- you've got to love the holidays. Since I get two weeks off- I always think I'll have a nice relaxing vacation: spend lots of quality time with the kids, catch up on my reading, spend time with friends and family, eat a few desserts. Well all of that happens- except its not a few desserts and it seems to happen in a whirlwind so by the time the vacation is over I don't feel relaxed. It's January 4 and I already feel behind. Oh well, that's just my life. At least I know I'm living it to the fullest and loving (almost) every minute.

But since I'm definitely behind in blogging- let me do a catch up post! Photos at the end.

Happy New Year! We had a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration with about 10 families and too many kids to count. Kaylee, Nate and even Max stayed up right through the horn blowing and fireworks and fell asleep around 1 am on the way home. Our friends also surprised Derek with a birthday cake complete with 40 candles and a very loud version of "Happy Birthday". It was a great night.

On January 1 we drove to Grand Rapids to spend a few days with family and friends there. I wish we could have had longer. Even though we only see them a few times a year we have such an awesome time with our "wild & crazy GR friends." They are the type of friends that when you see them again it doesn't feel like its been months- it feels just like old times. Except that we are getting old. These are are camp friends so "wild & crazy" used to mean toliet papering the boys cabin or convincing one of the guys to try to drink a whole gallon of milk so he'd puke. Then after college but before kids, "wild & crazy" meant getting together at someone's house and playing card games until the wee hours of the morning. This year "wild & crazy" meant getting a babysitter for 9 kids (Kaylee helped but we'd never leave her alone out numbered like that), going to dinner at 5:30pm and then playing cards at Biggby until they closed at 10pm. We seriously contemplated going to the hospital cafeteria since they never close but one of the tough guys insisted that just the smell of the hospital would make him puke. Yep. That's us. Wild & Crazy.

We also got to spend a couple hours with another couple- friends that we haven't spent much time with in the last few years. That is bittersweet. It's great to see them again but it reminds me a little bit of what we're missing by not living close by. The sweet part is that we are all Christians and I know we'll have an eternity of friendship in heaven someday! Something to really look forward to!

On January 3 we had Derek's family's Christmas celebration. Max & Nate had a great time wrestling and playing with their college age cousins. Kaylee was so excited to spend time with her older female cousin. And we have a new grand-niece due any day now. Again, we don't spend as much time as we'd like with family so when we do its special.

We came back home late last night so that we could be in church today for the Mission & Values launch. The foyer looks amazing and Andy's message was right on. Passion is part of who we are. Sometimes passion is tiring but its so worth it.

So I'll keep running. I'll blog when I can, spend quality time with my friends and family and look forward to the finish line when we can spend eternity in the presence of the almighty God. It's my most fervent New Year's wish to see you at the finish line with me!


New Year's Eve- Max & Kelli celebrate.


Derek Blows out all 40 of his candles.


Derek's Family Christmas

Drew & Angie (Drew's Girlfriend), Devon, Nick, Max, Kaylee, Nate


Drew, Nate & Max play with Nick's dog Jack.


Kaylee & Devon open presents