Christmas Photos done!

I can't believe how late I am this year with our Christmas photos!  I usually have them addressed and ready to go sometime in November.  Then on December 1st, I drop them in the mail.  Nope not this year.  This year, the kids knew they wanted to wear black but we never had a minute where all of them were here and showered.  Finally last Sunday we were going with our friends to Lawry's for dinner.  Before we walked out the door, I herded the kids out front for some really quick photos.  These weren't the best or most original photos we've done, but hey they're done!  Now if they get here quickly, I might even get them out by Christmas day.  Here's a sampling:

They were being silly, with Stephen riding the pony.  But there were too many shadows.

Decided to try posing with the snowman instead.

I liked this one!

And the one on top was the last set of goofiness before we headed out for an amazing dinner.  There is so much hustle and bustle during the holidays.  It was nice to get a dinner out with just our whole family, along with our good friends.  It seems like with the kids getting older, we never get a chance to all sit down for dinner together.  It was a great day!

Life

Wow I just realized how long it's been since I've posted anything here.  It's one of those things that I don't really have time to do, but I know I should.  Just looking back at my past posts makes me so happy.  Even the photo at the top of the blog, wow!  I can't believe how much the kids have changed since then.  That was three years ago when we went on our first college tours.  Now Stephen has finished all of his applications and has already gotten acceptances from three!

Let me just take a moment here to gush about him.  I am so proud of the young man he has become.  He has worked so hard the past four years.  He went into high school a hockey player and has worked hard to become a great water polo player.  He now has the ability to decide if he wants to continue to play in college.  It took playing club year round, while also swimming tons of hours during swim season but he did it.  That's all we've always wanted for them, is to have options.  Of course we hope he'll continue to play throughout college, but that's his choice.  But if he hadn't put in the work all of those years, he wouldn't have that choice to make.

I don't see any chance where he wouldn't continue to play since he's seen the payoff physically and mentally, but who knows.

I really can't believe how quickly time is going by.  I know as soon as Stephen makes his college decision, it will be time to turn around and start working on it with Nikki.  And unfortunately her interests are completely different from his.  So our tours and decisions will really start from scratch.  The good news is that the process will be completely hers.  And hopefully with any luck, she will have lots of options that she will have afforded herself from her hard work as well.  I am looking forward to traveling that road with her.  But of course it makes me sad now that I know how quickly it's going to go.