So much for the promised post. There has been soooooo much to do this week, to do the normal wife, mother, church stuff + get ready to go out of town, + organize the VBS + prepare the house for company, + + + +.

It seems like every exciting event, rather than savoring, I look forward to getting it over with. I don't want to live that way!

I am excited to see the Casa Hogar kids tomorrow! We actually start heading that way in 9 hours! (but sad to leave my family!!!!)

Would you please pray for our team, for safety, health, success and our families?

Gotta go, but maybe I can post from the "internet cafe" down the street.

Keeping busy!

I have a lot to report, but soooo little time. I will try to get to my blog tonight or tomorrow night, but wanted to at least say:

1. Happy 35th Birthday!!!!! to Adam (I know what you are thinking, 'he really robbed the cradle' : )


and

2. I will write about our missions trip to Mexico in just 9 days.... but wanted to ask if any of you have some Bath and Body lotion or hand-sanitizer that you won't use. One of the missionaries asked if we could bring some for her.... the Bath and Body hand-sanitizer does not dry out your skin, and the lotion for when they use the regular hand-sanitizer (you need to use it alot down there, and they have an 8 or 9 year old daughter who is diabetic and they sanitize and check her blood a few times a day).

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, my Mother stayed around until about 11:30. At 2 (more like 2:15 - we were late as usual) we went to my Dad's house for lunch. My favorite parts of Christmas this year were 1. The season was extra-long with the early Thanksgiving 2. Doing advent devotions, even though we only did them a couple nights a week (since we were out a lot)... esp. singing Christmas hymns together - I think that we have weirded out my poor sister, Amy every year. 3. Spending time with family.

Christmas Eve

This year, my mother spent the Christmas Eve night with us. It was a lot of fun. I decided to surprise her with our Katzenmeyer traditional Christmas dinner - served on Mimi Katzenmeyer's table, both my grandfather and mother grew up eating this same Christmas meal at this same antique table.


Here we are with the Standing Rib Roast(prime rib), mashed potatoes, rutabegas and peas, yorkshire pudding (kind of pop-overs) and salad.

Christmas in South Carolina

We went to SC the week before Christmas to Stimart Station for an early Christmas celebration. Hannah and I were treated to manicures and pedicures, we all went out to see lights, and the kids got to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. On the way home, we took a minor detour to go to the American Girl Store in Alpharetta (outside of Atlanta)

Cousin Christmas

In our family, the 7 cousins exchange names and buy gifts for each other. We celebrated on the 17th, but missed Antarctica, Benjamin, Bradley Bear and Unc. Kevin!
This was the first present that EmmaKate ever opened!

The tree cutting

We revived one our past Christmas traditions and went down to Ringgold to chose our tree. This year, we got a Leyland Cyprus and even a month later, it is still green! We can keep this one up til Epiphany!

Hannah was a bit grumpy, until she saw the animals. Joseph found a cute "Charlie Brown" tree, we ended up going with Jack's pick, because it was our favorite, too.