Good grief - it's been six weeks????

Yikes - six weeks goes by so fast!

Let's see what has happened since 11/4 in our lives:

Ryan: Saw the shores of Erie for the first time - but not in Ireland. He's picked up the slack of an incomplete project left behind from a co-worker no longer with his company while finishing his own. He's smoked two succulent turkeys for Thanksgiving. He helped eat said turkeys on Thanksgiving and the week after (in the form of smoked turkey enchiladas!) He's also watched our fence blow down thanks to mother nature (and such quality materials choices from the installer of the fence.) Another fence is in dire need of attention, but hopefully the braces I've put up hold (at least through the next round of windy winter weather.) He's also enjoyed the 60+ point per game rampage of his beloved Oklahoma Sooners football team. He's also proud of Sam Bradford (as both a Sooner and a 1/16th blood Cherokee) hoist the Heisman trophy.

Miriam: Is busy being two! She has been sick off and on, but not too bad, just a constant runny nose and stuff like that. Her vocabulary has seem to taken off again, she is holding conversations that are very coherent and her memory is really developing too. She is still not too interested in potty training, I am trying to keep it low pressure but my competitive spirit makes it hard! I think potty training will be much like walking, she is going to wait until she can do it perfectly the first time - no accidents!! At least that is what I am hoping for. Miri had "links" evaluations and testing done recently at pre-school. She is above age level in most areas. The evaluators were very impressed with her communication level. She is excited about Christmas, she loves looking at the lights and gets excited every time we see a decorated house. She has decorated and undecorated our tree several times in the past week we have had it up so I am glad we aren't putting presents under it until much closer to the 25th!

Sarah: I have been working like crazy to get the end of year bills wrapped up for the office so we can have a 2 week vacation during the holidays. I am also working on getting everything ready for Christmas, shopping is DONE! So that is a relief. The year we did an "adopt a family" project from Emergency Infant Services. I think I had more fun shopping for this family than I did for anybody else (including M!!!) We will be delivering the presents and food basket to this family right before Christmas, I think even at age 2.5 this will be a wonderful experience for Miri, I know it will be for the rest of us. We have also begun the process of looking for a new house - I hope we can find something that we can agree on soon, because this place is way to cramped right now.

So we are all still here, just busy! Every time I sit down to blog I get distracted or the laundry needs swapped, or Miri has destroyed something, or I am on the phone, or I am looking for a house and/or lot ect ect ect - you get the picture!!! We promise to be more current on this and posts some pictures of our little miracle.