happy holidays!

First, an apology for the glut of posts today, I've fallen a couple days behind during a busy season, I promise not to do this sort of thing too often!! So please keep on scrolling down after you read this post to read two more posts, one is our weekly homeschooling summary, and the other is a really fun post about our Yule celebration.



Next, I want to apologize to anyone who may have been expecting a card from us, and either receives it "fashionably late", or perhaps doesn't receive it at all. Not only did I let things slide a little too long this year; not only did I have to cut way back on the number of cards I sent out; but I also lost my address book! So those of you who are getting cards, won't be getting them before Christmas (my mantra on Thursday morning was "The world will not stop turning if I don't get these cards out today" -- hence, they went out on Saturday, just before the post office closed). And for the rest, I hope you will accept this digital version of our card and greeting, and know that just because your card didn't arrive via postal service doesn't mean that you are any less dear to us. We just have a really large family and a really small budget.


And most importantly, I wish every one of you dear readers, who put up with reading all of these details of our existence on a daily basis, and unselfishly give us your support and love, a very joyous holiday -- whichever holiday(s) you choose to observe! May the new year bring you peace, light, and happiness!