If only.....

In a few hours from now, it will be OFFICIALLY December, and there is miraculously NO snow whatsoever on the ground!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!! If only Minnesota could go just 1 winter without all of the white stuff, I'd be elated!!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that the snow has held off this long!!! It will certainly make the winter seem shorter (OK, 4 mo long instead of 5,LOL). Do I sound like I'm a snow hater? Maybe I am!! Its pretty ,and all,but shoveling, and driving, and feeling confined to your house for months on end isn't what I call fun! Many natives feel that Christmas isn't a Christmas without snow on the ground! I'd like to share my thoughts about Christmas w/o snow, and why I think its JUST as Wonderful!! I know many of you from Minnesota aren't agreeing with me as you read this, but... if your a Floridian, you can empathize with me and know where I'm coming from. :)

Christmas in Florida is of course snow less. All I ever needed was just a little nip in the air for it to FEEL like Christmas was on its way. Decorating your house with lights was a pleasant experience since you weren't freezing your figures and ears off! With the weather being warmer, people can decorate their houses SO elaborately with lights, its just gorgeous to drive by and see. One thing I really miss about Christmas in Florida is going Caroling! Its too Frigid to go caroling up here! We were in a church choir in Fl, and we would all pile onto a flat bed with hay and drive though neighborhoods singing and drinking cocoa. You didn't freeze, it may have been a little cold, but not too unpleasant. Cliff was in a local church choir here in Mn for over 5 years, and caroling (outdoors)was never done (beyond indoors at the nursing home). Man, do I miss Florida!! Each winter that we are up here, I seem to miss things more (I'm of course reminded of the things I miss in my least favorite season). But, alas, Minnesota is where I live, and the snow is gonna come soon, so I might as well grin and bear it :) :) :) Not liking snow doesn't make me a Grinch, I just happen to think that a Christmas w/o snow, can be even More wonderful than with it!!

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a goodnight!!!

Being Thankful!!

I can't believe it... it has been a whole year since I have had this blog, and I have written a total of about 6 posts, LOL!! How sad is that?!?!? I'm gonna try to do better, and I guess I already am, since I have written about 3 in the last week. I'm really not a long writter, but having a little something for you to read is better then nothing, RIGHT?

My heart is so thankful today to have family to share this special holiday with!! Family really does make life better :) I have a really great relationship with mine, so being around them is very enjoyable. Since we live far from our family, I never take a visit for granted! I'm very overwhemed just to be seeing them in the flesh!

I took the time to read my 1st post LAST Thanksgiving, and it was really interesting for me to read where I was, and what my thoughts were at that time! CLiff had just gotten a temp job for a 2 mo period of time that we were hoping would turn into permenant. That didn't happen, and here we are 19 months into lay-off and having to apply for an extention of benefits here next week! Hopefully it will be approved, or we will have to think of plan B rather quickly!!!!

Well the topic is Thankfulness, so here are just a few of the things I am thankful for THIS YEAR!

1. My Family

2. Health (since we have NO insurance at the moment)

3. God providing for our monthly needs through my daycare business

4. Friends to laugh with :)

5. Cars that run

6. A roof over my head

7. Having my Mom and Brother up for a whole week

I hope that you TOO had an awesome, memory making day!!! :) God Bless!!

COREY

Family!!!!!

Well my Mom and Brother just arrived today from Tallahassee, Fl. I have been anticipating this day for weeks now! This past week just drug by, cause I was trying to wish it away just so Saturday could come :) Well with my house all clean and ready for guests, I started to wonder how I was gonna react to seeing my brother after 2 years! I wondered if I would cry, or hug him and not let go. Lots of these similar thoughts played through in my head! Of course I new when I saw my Mom, that I would give her a big hug!! Well when I did get to see my bro, I didn't cry, I just gave him a kiss on the cheek and a big hug :) Two years is WAY too long to go without seeing your sibling!

I'm gonna savor each of these next 6 days that I have to shop, go to coffee, Macy's 8th floor, and lots of other things that we have planned!!!! I miss my family SO much! But when they come, I truly value each second we have with them :)