In the Blink of An Eye.....

It's all over. Our Home feels very empty today. I find myself pacing from room to room. Dishes are staring me in the face, Christmas Decorations are screaming to be put away, and the Tree is putting off that "I've been dead for weeks now" smell. Yet, I don't feel like doing any of it. This morning while Trav was putting on his socks and shoes getting ready for work he looked at me and said, "I think this is the worst day of the year." I think I would have to agree with him. He had to go back to work and the boys headed back to school. This was our first year on B track for school. I have to admit that I was pretty worried thinking of having the kids home from Thanksgiving break til today. I knew they would be wild with excitement and bouncing off the walls with no real schedule, and I wondered how I would get some shopping done with them all home watching my every move. I actually loved it though. Yes, they were wild, sometimes so wild they got in trouble. Yes, they wrestled every second and did obnoxious noises with their voices, til we thought we'd go crazy!! But they helped me with babysitting Julia so I could run errands and we were able to spend a lot of time together. We stayed up late watching Christmas movies, reading Christmas stories (one night spent with the whole family laughing at me while I read one of them, because I cried the entire time. No one could understand why - seeing as the majority of them are boys!! It was such a good book!), swimming at Surf 'n swim,

attending family parties, Snowshoeing Christmas Eve, eating lots of goodies, taking the boys to the Tabernacle Choir Program with David Archuleta (they were not thrilled about that one.....Trav included),watching Garrett play all week in a B-Ball tournament he was invited to play in with another team, spending time with Uncle Nate and his family after they drove from Oregon and surprised us, Celebrating Garrett's 11th Birthday (11? What on earth!), Having a sleep over at Gma Davies house,
staying at the Lodge in Bear Lake and watching Logan get baptized, watching Sister's first dance recital of the Nutcracker, keeping the tradition alive with my old Laurel class by going to Good Things Utah and lunch, watching Sis. make the boys and a friend play restaurant against their will, and last but not least, attending Garrett's Arrow of Light ceremony. (We are so proud of you Bubba!) If it weren't for wanting Mrs. Beckstead so bad as a teacher for Ty next year, I would shoot for B track again. We had a great time being together as a family. But, now the house is quiet, The Randle's are back in Oregon, Trav is back to work, homework starts again, and bedtimes will be re-enforced. Why does this time of year have to come and go so quickly!
We are looking forward to this New Year and can't wait to see what it has in store for us as a family.