(I NEVER watch 60 Minutes, but the other day, I happened to catch Andy Rooney as I was flipping to find Extreme Home Makeover.  I thought it would be fun to write something as if Mr. Rooney were talking.  Here is my lame attempt.)

Life must have us all in the fast lane.  I sure miss the "old" days when we all had hours to kill on the computer.  I miss the old days of blogging when I'd get 8 comments before noon.  I really do.  Perhaps with all the other avenues like Facebook and Twitter, the true bloggers are left in the dust while everyone else is wasting time elseware.   I looked at my friends list yesterday and noticed that more than a few have moved on or no longer update their blogs here.  *sniff, sniff* 

Blogging does take time and effort.  You have to think of something to write and then write it.  And it helps if you have some good photos to post as well.  And then there is the flip side of leaving comments.  Currently, I have left some 6824 comments in the last 3 years.  (Not that I keep track.)  It is a responsibility to leave comments, if you have a blog.  Lately though, it is getting harder and harder to leave comments with fewer and fewer people updating their blogs.  (I could go into a rant here, but I won't.) 

So what am I to do?  Why am I thinking about all of this?  What is my point?   Does anyone care?  Please update your blog.  It is your responsibility. 

For years now, we have enjoyed Celebrate Jesus at Christmas by Kimberly Ingalls Reese. The first couple of years, we did all the readings and activities as part of the Advent season. Now, we use the book for the daily Nativity Building.

The Nativity Building activities have you move around and add figures to your Nativity scene throughout the Advent season. Right now, our manger is under our Christmas tree with a cow and a ring. The ring is a 'reminder of our relationship with Jesus. We are eternally bound together in love.' (Celebrate Jesus at Christmas, p. 18)

Mary and Joseph are currently traveling to Bethlehem...

The shepherd is in the field tending his sheep...

The wise men are still at their home...

The best part of the Nativity Building is the first gift the kids open on Christmas morning. We wrap our Baby Jesus in gold paper and put Him in the manger. This is, after all, the best gift!

I am home now. It was hard to leave. However, my  bed and pillow sure looked inviting when we got to the house.  Our flight was full to the brim with passengers. Brandon and I were in the last row on the plane, the only seats left were in the potty, behind us. Flush, Flush!!. LOL. After a somewhat bumpy flight, we landed in Vegas.  Since we were in the back of the plane, it took forever to get off the plane. ugh. By the time I found my hubby at baggage claim, he had already claimed our suitcase. Brandon and I were more than ready for dinner, so we were glad we didn't have to wait for our luggage. After we left the airport we encountered an accident on the freeway, so that slowed us down, but finally we made it to Olive Garden-YUMMY!!  Now I am home, getting laundry done and going over all my junk mail.

Julia arrived on Monday to take over care of my mom (she's a good daughter and granddaughter). Mom is doing better everyday. She's able to do more and more for herself, certain things she will be unable to do till she gets a walking cast, which will be roughly around 4 weeks from now, provided the ankle is healing properly.  

I was told by Julia and my hubby that my dog was moping around the whole time I was gone. He seemed quite happy when Brandon and I got home last night and he is sticking close to me today. There is nothing like pure, sweet and totally honest love a good dog! 

 Yes, my DH missed me too, that's why I got to eat at Olive Garden last night

The big gap between posts can be attributed to the fullness of life right now. Besides contending with my husband being out of town on business, we also spent two weeks preparing for 'the teacher visit'. I'm always amazed at the length of the preparation process and can never figure out why so much of the kids' daily work either hasn't been edited and refined to be ready for presentation, or has somehow slipped through the cracks completely. Still, with much effort we managed to pull everything together and that visit happened on Friday, Nov. 27. The teacher was very encouraging. Thank you, Mrs. Bisschop!

Although all of us would have liked to slide right into holiday mode after the teacher visit, I have learned from the many years that we've been enrolled that taking that huge break over the month of December doesn't pay off in January. I guess it's a case of being easier to keep the train going than to stop it and start up again. We have developed a rhythm over the past months that is working. So why mess with a good thing? So, we'll keep going for a little longer and look forward to taking some time off closer to Christmas.

Yesterday felt very l-o-n-g. One of my daughters had an appointment with her teacher out at the Homeschool Center. So, we made the trek in there just after rush hour traffic started dwindling and I sat around for 2 1/2 hours while she received some tutoring. If I'd known she'd take that long I would have planned to make better use of the time. Last year when this same scenario came up with my older daughter she was finished within half an hour. I guess I must have given myself that time-frame when I planned out the day.

By the time we got back home I had only an hour to check up on the others and answer their most pertinent questions. I hurriedly printed out some worksheets and then we were heading back out into the cold for dance and sewing classes that required my hanging around for another hour and a half. Then, home to grab a quick supper - soup out of a can - and then off again to guitar lessons. When I got home just after 9:00 my head was literally spinning. Thankfully the kids had all pitched in and I didn't have to contend with a big clean-up when I walked in the door.

This morning we had piano lessons right off the mark. At least this got everyone out of bed in a timely manner, and we should be able to fit in a really focussed schooling day. At least I can hope that we will! I wish I had time to add all the other details about how life is unfolding - decisions about my eldest daughter's on-line school that rose to the surface this week, my first counselling/spiritual direction session, and how God continues to work in this shadowy season of my journey, but...

I've a load of laundry that was somehow forgotten in the washer last night, garbage cans that need to be brought in from the road, leaves that need to be raked, dishes slowly gathering by the sink, kids asking for help, workbooks stacked for marking, and...Well, you get the picture.

Here are some pictures of our weekend.   The first group is from our Thanksgiving dinner with family.  The football pictures are from the highschool state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.  The kids really enjoyed going for the second year in a row. 

We are trying something new this year. I have had this book Family Celebrations at Christmas by Ann Hibbard for some time now. The book gives you two years worth of family devotions to use during Advent to focus on Christ rather than the commercialism that has come to be known as the Christmas season.

Over our TV cabinet, we have a quilt banner hanger. I thought this would be the perfect place to hang our Advent Banner. Using material that I already had, I put together a wall hanging with a tree and 24 buttons to hang our 'ornaments' from.

So far, we have completed two days of the study. The first ornament has the symbol of Alpha and Omega. The second ornament has a Bible. There is a Bible reading and discussion questions for each day. I am looking forward to seeing our completed tree!

Just a quick note here.   It has been an emotional weekend for us.  Grandma fell on the way to the car after our wonderful family celebration on Thursday.  She broke her ankle and had to have surgery on Friday.  This is not easy when you are in your 80's.  Today she was taken back to her nursing home to begin rehab.  Grandpa had his oncology appointment and indeed does have chronic leukemia.  He's probably had it for some years.  No treatment plan is in place yet.  Not sure he will cooperate, anyway.  My biggest concern is for my mom who is their primary guardian and is not 100% herself on a good day.  Oh my.  All this we give up to Him and wait for His provision. 

Other than that, life is good. 

~Jenn

PS Hope to upload my photos from Thanksgiving soon and get some posted.