Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to everyone out there near and far! We had a pretty good Christmas, we were here at home in West Lafayette on Christmas day with all my family(except Syd-she's in Costa Rica for school) and ended up in LaPorte by Christmas night. The downside to Christmas this year was a nasty sickness bug that we got visiting Matt's family in LaPorte. It didn't take long for us to catch it, and once you are near someone who had it; there's no turning back. Quite a few poople have gotten it at this point. Unfortunately, Nolan got it first out of all of us and was vomiting the day after Christmas. I got it next and was actually vomiting in the car on the way home from LaPorte with Meredith screaming in the back seat and Matt driving, probably wishing he would have been somewhere else(anywhere else) at the time(oh what fun!) Next comes Meredith early the following morning. Matt didn't actually vomit but just felt generally crappy this week. It has put us out a good part of the week. Yesterday we were feeling better again to start eating somewhat normal. The one week Matt takes off the entire year and we all end up sick, go figure. I am sorry to say my poor  brother came over Wednesday to help Matt cut up some fire wood and not knowing it left the the "bug" and ended up with it yesterday and today. We thought it would be ok to see people at this point but I am telling you, this was a nasty stomach bug and highly contagious. Sorry Uncle Alex, hope you are feeling better tonight...

Getting back to Christmas, my brother Jordan and sister-in-law Karen made it from St. Louis for Christmas. It is always good to see them and we are especially excited this year because they are expecting their first baby due in late June(same exact time I was due with Nolan and Meredith). Congrats again you two! Syd like I mentioned was not there because she is in Costa Rica studying primates in their natural habit in the rainforest for 2 weeks. Syd graduates in May so it was her last chance to get this class in and what a great opportunity to do this. We will not have contact with her until she gets back from being out there in the middle of the rainforest so it will be interesting to hear how the experience was. Uncle Alex, Mom, Dad and all of our crew was here Christmas and Matt's whole family was in LaPorte and we celebrated Christmas with them on Friday night and Saturday. We got a good amount of snow in LaPorte before we came home so Nolan was able to play around a bit before we came home. Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful time together in West Lafayette, at Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jim's house, and for Matt's family for having us. It was a good feeling knowing we are back for good and it was so good to see everyone and catch up. Thanks to you all!

We have ALOT of pict's to post from this past week. I will get some up this weekend and the coming days...We hope everyone had a very happy and safe New Years! Thanks to everyone who sent us Christmas cards too. We are behind in that department, but I actually do plan on getting some out still(I think) maybe I can get them out by my birthday at the end of the month?? That isn't a joke. We will see. It's another busy month for us. I am in the middle of planning my friend  Erin's baby shower which is here next Saturday and my mom is having her knee replaced toward the end of the month and will be staying with us afterwards and then my birthday, on second thought maybe I will get the Christmas cards out by         February. : ) More to come...