Let's hear it for the holiday season

     Once you have kids the fall season and then the following holiday season is never the same.  Maybe I should be a little more specific, when you have kids that are old enough to be in school, elementary or preschool it is party after party after party.  It is hard to get your own holiday decorations up, plan for family gatherings, cook, and present shop with all the busy activities at school!  I think these days they have parties just to celebrate having parties.  I really don't remember having that much fun in school.  The boys had a blast and David and I always enjoy their activities and watching them grow and play with their friends.
     The fall was also the final hard training stretch for David and I.  We competed in the Beach to Battleship 70.3 in Wilmington, NC.  It was a blistering cold morning.  I believe Wilmington set a record low and it was a mere 36 degrees when we jumped into the water.  We improved upon first 70.3 finish from Raleigh and I hope I have a few pictures to prove we actually ran the race.  I realize when it comes to the kids, I take tons of pictures, but when it comes to David and myself I forget to capture the moment.  Hopefully, the kids will want to look back and see their Iron Parents!!
     I have lots to blog about and plenty of pictures to share. After the half iron man we sailed right through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Nationwide we have seen record low temps and Abingdon, VA was not excluded.  We experienced our first 'polar vortex' and with it blustering (-)teen degree weather.  We had pipes to burst and spent a lot of time being thankful for our nice warm home.  I don't think we have had more than usual amounts of snow, just really, really cold days and nights.  Due to the weather Lucas only went to school 3 days in January.  Now we are finally getting some warm sunshine and everyone is anxious to get back outdoors.
  Enjoy the pictures and I will do my best to narrate our crazy busy lives over the last 4 months.  I am always surprised at how fast the time flies by!