Christmas in Kansas City

The Sloan Fam

First time sledding...ever...and a BIG wipe out! Oops!
Zach's willing to try it again! ...Lily...not so much!
What a wonderful season. White Christmas and all. It is so nice to be "home" with our families!

We Make It Look SOOO Easy!

Looking at our Christmas card, you might think otherwise. So I'd like to let you in on a little "behind the scenes", or... "the REAL us". To be honest, I love these pics as much as I love the final product! (Thanks AMY!) Merry Christmas to all!

A House, A Home

One thing I will never forget is the last day I was there. Everything was gone...packed up and on its way to Oregon (courtesy of Dave). I had come back to do some touch up cleaning...and sort of...just hang out...one last time. I sat there and stared at all the things that were SO familiar to me. Paint colors, lighting fixtures, doorknobs, wood finishes...all "my touch"...and I was proud. But the emptiness reminded me of something else, what I was really sad to leave, afraid to loose, were the memories made in our home. It's kind of like the walls served as a trigger to remember...and if I wasn't there...would I forget?


I scribbled like mad into a notebook, all the beautiful things I could remember. Like how we brought Zach home from the hospital all bundled up in his car seat. We set him on the couch and sat across from him and just stared. The memory is SO vivid...we were parents! I wrote and wrote, and while I recorded, do you know where my kids were!? Each was lying on the floor of their room with a blankie and nothing else. Their rooms were barren like the rest of the house, and I laid them down not believing they would actually fall asleep....on the floor! But I guess they were comforted by the recognition of their 4 little walls. Their domain, their spot in the world, and it was cozy and safe. They didn't need beds or pictures on the wall. This shelter - our home - was enough.



Oh, I am a dweeb, I know. Its just that getting ready to move again...has got me thinking, reminiscing about it all. Dave got back from Houston today with lots of pictures and details...and I am excited to start the process. I just hope that I will feel the same way about another home!

Anna-Bball-Banana

I seriously have the COOLEST siblings EVER!! Anna's basketball intramural team just won the championships! WOW! This picture was on the school's website! WAY TO GO GIRLIES! And the last picture is just to show...that when she is not in a "kick your butt and take a charge like a pro" (you should SEE her take a charge!)...she is pretty dang cute! Anna is probably laughing that I already know about this...what can I say...good news travels fast! LOVE YA!

First Snow

"LOOK Lily!" ...pointing to the snow
Kiddos had just climbed out of their beds, we grabbed them (still in pjs) and bundled them up to see the first snow flakes of the season...no stickage!
He's a natural
She's too cute
"Seriously...the camera...AGAIN?"

Margaret

We've been friends since she moved to Kansas City in 7th grade. Our degrees are in education. We got married one month apart. We bought our first homes at the same time. We each keep shoe boxes of every letter we wrote to each other in 8th and 9th grade. We're both blonds...by nature. We know ALL the boyfriends and crushes (and good and bad dates) that led to our husbands. Girls camp, family vacations, high school dances, youth conferences, freshman algebra, temple sealings, we did those things together. We have common history. But for me, what makes her friendship so spectacular is that she makes me better. She inspires me with her world travels, creative teaching, loving marriage and sincere desire to help others. Margaret surprised me with her visit. While David was out of town she came to play for a week. We shopped and ate yummy desserts and talked until all hours of the night...just like old times. She left today and despite the lack of sleep, I feel awesome, rejuvenated, peaceful. I have new goals because of her...like getting to the temple more often, and doing the BOM challenge again. Margaret is the best kind of friend there is...constant and forever...friend.