Happy New Year

Happy New Year, everyone. We are getting back into the swing of things here. Matt got back yesterday from a ski trip to Snow Shoe, West Virginia. Billie started back to school yesterday, and had a wonderful day ( and a hard time waking up!) I started back to school today. Lots going on, and it will take me a few weeks to get used to my new schedule and new classes. It is so nice to be all back to our normal routine, though. We are all creatures of habit, and we do much better as a family when we have a nice schedule to follow. I am not very organized unless I have to be, so it is especially good for me to have a routine to follow.

Billie has been writing a book over her break, and it is amazing. It is for a contest through the school system, and I am not going to give it away here. She is quite a story teller, though, and as her mother I could not be more proud of every word of it. She has worked so hard on it, too. I haven't helped her at all. She has asked me for some spelling help, but I am not allowed to help. So I have answered her back, "Well, think about it. Sound it out, and try your hardest. Take your time." She has been able to spell every word almost perfectly that way. She has struggled this year with spelling, but now I think it is because she is always in such a rush to get done. When she takes her time, she is actually a very good speller! I am very proud of her. She also picked an amazing topic and reason for writing. She wanted to write something that will help other kids, and I think it will. I know I am her mother and am totally and completely biased. I still think for a 7 year old second grader, it is an amazing book. We will see how it gets judged!

We spent New Year's Eve at home, Matt got the stomach bug that I had just after Christmas, so he was feeling terrible and we were afraid he was contagious still. We fell asleep on the couch and Billie woke us up just before midnight! She is so funny! She will not fall asleep watching TV. I think it would keep her up for days if we let her watch it that long. But we all said "Happy New Year" and shared hugs and kisses, and were tucked tight in our beds by 12:10 AM! Matt left the next morning for his ski trip, still feeling weak and yucky. I am shocked that the people he went with didn't get it, but I guess the contagious stage was over. I am sure they are all thankful for that. He had a wonderful time skiing, and I know he had fun with his friends. He took a bad fall, but just came out a little sore and bruised. Lucky for him he was wearing a helmet, from what he says. He is back at work today, I know that it will be hard to get back into the swing of things.

We are so thankful Billie never got the stomach bug, guess bleaching the bathrooms over and over again helped with that. We are thankful we are all healthy again and ready for an amazing 2009. Who knows what this year will bring? Love and Happy New Year to all!!