We had a very busy season. Kayla had half days on the Monday and Tuesday before her Christmas break and had school cancelled the Thursday and Friday before due to snow. We had a total of about 1.5 feet. It melted and snowed and melted and snowed. We had a white Christmas. We got to get online and video cam with our family in Alabama to open presents on Christmas Eve and then we headed to my moms house. We made a gingerbread house there. My brother flew up, and my sister and her husband and new baby Emma came over and we all stayed the night there just like we were kids again. It was so much fun. We all got some great stuff. Kayla's biggest thing was a WII and mine was a new coffee table. Justin (my step dad) hand made it out of a slab of pine with iron legs. It was so very cool. Nick surprised me with a new watch he ordered online. I barely got it. We left and it still had not come. I just happened to see the fed ex truck at the gas station by the main road and saw some people picking up packages there. I stopped and she was getting ready to leave. She was nice enough to check one for me and it was there. I was so happy.
The next day we braved the weather and headed out to my Grandparents house in Forks, WA. The rest of my family was out there and I got to see them for the first time in a long time. We are all grown up now. We all had to bring our dogs so I had my two and my mom had her two and my Aunt had her two and my grandparents had their one and my uncle who lives out there now had one. They had about 2.5 feet of snow and we all spent the days walking in the snow and 4 wheeling in the woods. The dogs had a blast. We headed back on Sat am and got to rest on Sunday.
Nick had to work on Christmas and he missed the dinner they threw for them. We all sent him stuff for Christmas. He got a bunch of games and movies. I sent him a Rudolph stocking that sang and light up. It was funny. He annoyed his roommate with it a lot.
We spent New Years Eve at my sisters in Auburn and went home shortly after midnight and lighting off the biggest firework ever. We went home and went to bed and then I went and hung out at my moms on New Years Day.
Not long ago I got a wild hair and went to my front yard and pulled all the plants the crazy lady that lived here before me planted. There were a bunch of raspberries and strawberries and a stupid artichoke that was huge. I hurt so bad the day after but it looks so much better.
Well the next big thing is Kayla's birthday at the end of Feb. Nick is trying to come home for that and his parents and his sister and her husband are coming up. She is going to have a roller skating party. She will have a few people from school come and a few of her new friends in our neighborhood.
Well Kayla turns 9 tomorrow. It seems like it was just yesterday we were bringing her home. She has grown into a great person with a very funny personality and a very big heart. Nick got to come home for his 2 weeks R&R. He got home last Sunday and has to leave on March 3rd. We are so glad to see him and for him to get to be here for her birthday. We had a skating party on Sat. and had a blast. She had a few friends from school and a few from the neighborhood. She has quite a few friends now and is fitting in well. She got a rabbit from us for her birthday and has joined a 4-H group. She will be showing and going to fair and other activities. I am so glad to get her in to something finally. She would not do sports or dance or cheer. It drove me nuts. Nicks parents and his sister and brother-in-law are flying in for her birthday tomorrow so we will party some more. Her birthday does seam to go on and on and on. We are going out to eat tomorrow night and some other stuff this weekend. We will have a full house. 
