It's been a whirlwind!

We got back this past Friday evening from our Holiday travels. We left last Thursday for Ohio (we actually passed through Akron, Alicia) but alas, alack my hubby insisted that we press on instead of stop for a potty break! :) I actually had paid attention to the signs so i could impress you with exactly where we were, but i can't remember them!

We had a lovely time in Bolivar at Nathan's family's farm with his Aunt Sharon. We were able to see his other aunt and uncle and cousins. It was a nice time. Jackson started out our trip with a cold and it continued to progress into a pretty bad cough and a 103 temp. FUN!

We arrived in Canada on saturday and my mom was SO glad to see her granbabies! By Christmas Day, Jackson had stuck his hands and kissed Owen on the mouth enough for Owen to be in rough shape and battling a pretty bad cough for such a little guy!

It was such a great time to be home. The Lord has been really working in the life of my brother Ryan and we were able to spend some good times talking with and encouraging him. That was surely the highlight of my trip. It was also so good to see my brother Joel and his wife Lena and my sister Jenny. (I may have gotten myself into trouble naming names b/c there were so many family members that we saw that we enjoyed spending time with. :)

After a few rough days of sick kiddos and great times visiting family, we headed back over the border to the U-S of A and onto Pittsburgh to see friends of mine, the Howe Family. We were with them overnight and were able to see their ministry in Pittsburgh. Pastor Howe and Aunt Bev were my pastor growing up and a second family to me. Their sons were like brothers to me. Anyway, it was great to reconnect with them after so many years.

We FINALLY got home on friday night after an EXTREMELY draining car ride. We were so very excited to be in our own home and in our own beds!!!!

Saturday night Nathan's boss and friends of ours had a wonderful christmas party at their beautiful home (also the place where we got engaged) and we had a nice time.

So that leads me to today...here i am sitting on the couch on New year's eve and we are all a bunch of sickos! The boys are still sick...Nathan is in rough shape - and i am surely working on it. I am basically exhausted. We were looking forward to spending NY's Eve with our good friends like we have for the last few years...but we bailed for the sake of health.

Tomorrow we have Christmas with nate's mom's side of the family and then on friday we head to G-ville, SC to see friends and then spend the week there for nate's annual sales conference for work. We'll be gone until next thurs. or friday. PHEW! I am tired just typing about it all! :)

Hope you all had a great holiday. I'll leave you with some pics of our travels. (OH WAIT!!! I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BIGGEST BLESSING OF OUR TRIP!!!!)
Remember when i fell and broke our camera right before owen was born? Well, to my surprise, my brother Joel gave us his Canon Powershot camera b/c he wanted us to have a camera to take pics of the boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's an amazing camera and the closest i will get to my dream camera of a Canon Rebel! God is so good to us! We are truly thankful!!!!

The Dessert table

A spiral staircase that went from the 3rd floor to the 1st!

Yup, it's a toilet! LOL

owen and aunt jenny (j-mo)

yo-yo sweet sweatah bro!

who needs mistletoe??

uncle joel...your face is a little prickly!

what? can't you put a half of a banana in your mouth?