Sorry I'm such a tease

I know, I know. I start this blasted thing, tell all my friends and family to check it, update it religiously for 2 months and then kaput - just when I was on a roll. I could name lots of excuses: work was really busy for the last 2 months, the holidays took all my spare blogging time, my work doesn't grant me access to post / view blogs at work ... but as with all things that we're too busy for, it just wasn't high enough on the priority list. Now that work is settling down a little (big fingers crossed on that one), and the holidays are over (as of Tuesday), and my house is clean (but still have ironing yet to do), it's just the right time to blog.

So, what's been going on with me? My friend Cristall taught me that when too much happens to expound upon, sometimes bullet lists come in handy. So, Cristall, here's lookin' at you, kid.

• Thanksgiving - spent in Jacksonville with one of Joel's co-workers and her family. Many good foods, and very gracious company. It was a great time.
• Nativity Display - never suggest an idea in Ward Council that you aren't fully willing to carry though on your own. I suggested we have a display of nativities the night of the First Presidency Devotional, and then was given the blessing of coordinating the whole thing. It was a good (although humble) beginning, but I think next year will be really spectacular.
  
• Work - trained over 600 employees on the Mobil inspection standards. Who knew 5-stars would be so draining? Now I just have to finish entering performance reviews for roughly 1,000 employees. After we develop and train over 500 employees on a new computer system.
  
• Temple - went to Orlando to go to the temple and got to visit Emily and Daniel in their beautiful new house. And Daniel's parents were kind enough to invite us to their annual holiday party the night we were in town. It was an amazing dinner, amazing turnout, amazing house, amazing singing, amazing people. It was really a night to remember. I'm bummed I forgot my camera.
  
• School - went to some basketball games and supported the Frederica Knights - go green! It's really cool to see such young kids with such talent. And the parents in the stands are always so nice! I just have to remember to keep my snarky comments to myself - you never know whose parent may be sitting right in front of you.
  
• Christmas - discovered a nearby fenced park that Finn LOVES, watched It's a Wonderful Life for the first time since I was a kid. Now I understand the mania - it really is a great movie! Santa was very good to me: favorite gifts were a new laptop bag and clothes from Joel, gift cards from the parents, and Kite Runner from Dennis and Diane.
  
• Friends - our friends Ashley and Sam from PA visited us on their way back up north from their family Christmas in Florida yesterday. It was so good to see them again, and a great excuse to clean my house for the first time in 2 months. It's really cool to have friends that you can enjoy hanging out with even if you haven't seen them for a really long time. Thanks for stopping, guys!

So, that's been it for me. This is what has kept me from blogging. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and look forward to a happy new year. Stay tuned - my next blog will have pictures from Adam's wedding!