A belated happy new year and merry Christmas and happy Thanksgiving while we're at it, too

I've been a horrible blogger.  I have been trying to keep up about 4 blog posts per month, and completely missed December.  I can explain myself!  I was taking two classes and had two big projects plus two finals, all converging in December.  And right before that was Thanksgiving, which I had taken upon myself to cook up pretty much the entire meal, mostly from scratch, for my family, my parents, and my sister's family.  And as soon as finals was over, we had to scramble to get the house decorated for Christmas and cleaned and ready for my in-laws' annual visit.  And today is my dad's birthday too, so we spent the weekend at my parents' place and helped throw him a little birthday dinner party.  So yeah, I've been a little busy.  Sorry.  I hope you will forgive me.

If it helps, here are a few pictures as a peace offering...

Me and Abi hanging out at our favorite frozen yogurt place.  (The rest of the family is on the other side of the table.)

Eliz's first school assembly performance

Cornerstone Fellowship's annual Women's Christmas Dinner with Point of Grace performing

SNOW!! I had to take a picture because this is a rare occasion -- I heard the last time it snowed here was in 1977 or something like that.

The girls took pictures with Santa. He comes to a mom-and-pop shop here in town during December, and the same Santa has been coming for years. No charge for pictures; bring your own camera!

Eliz's first school award; an AR bronze medal for accumulating 25 points. She was one of three in her classroom to receive this.

Christmas morning at our house with the in-laws

Christmas day trip to Mt. Diablo

Hula hooping -- Eliz is showing off how she can even jump while keeping the hula hoop spinning.  Lil stinker makes it look easy.