Check out Everett! He had a Dr appointment the same day as Daddy did and he is 95% length at 27 inches and 85% weight at 17lbs. In engineering Intel speak that makes this boy out of the normal distribution and out of control. Add to that he is rolling around, jabbering away and always smiling.
Thanksgiving was going to be quite, but then it got more quite. I went to the clinic the day before and was diagnosed with a Staph
MRSA infection. So we canceled plans with J's family and stayed home all weekend. I found out Monday at a Dr follow up the Staph was a bogus diagnosis, mostly likely it was bug bite and allergy. This is a case where Internet access is bad, all the things about staph on the web are very scary, glad I didn't have it. I am mad that it killed our weekend and
deterred Todd and family from visiting the following weekend. We did have a full turkey dinner, Hanna and Everett were napping so it was Ella, momma and I.
To turn a phrase, all this horse can do is smell the barn and only think of home. We are really looking forward to returning to NM for a few weeks and getting out of Portland. The weather is back to bad which we could probably deal with but since we are leaving we don't have to. The problem is for the last two months we have been planning to leave and it's kept us from getting the kids involved in classes or activities. This plan is looking 99% definite, return to Abq Dec 7th or 8th until the first of the year when we head off to Phoenix. I have to make a short business trip that first week, Dec 10-14th, the rest is vacation/holiday!
Today we went to the roller rink. Putting 4 wheels on each foot makes it hard on the kids to stay upright. They had fun but I think Mom and Dad had more fun taking hot laps. Ella also painted herself a arts and crafts laptop computer with some help from dad. Nice use of an couple old cereal boxes.
The Christmas excitement is palpable. 
Gogles? CHECK! Lets open our presents! And then A little post present opening toy enjoyment with Grandpa. Christmas was great with the whole family. We did an early round of gifts and eating at Uncle Jared's house before Sam and Sean went off to see their mom. We did another round after Santa's visit on Christmas morning. We went to church. Momma called home to the other half of the family in Croatia to wish them 'Sretan Bozic!' We all got everything we wanted because the kids are still to small to know they want everything in the toy book. 
We also got a head start on new years resolution to get fit with a hike in Tent Rocks with the gang.
