Oh, wait it’s me who has been absent.  Well, things have been really spinning fast here and the days just haven’t been long enough for me to do anything that isn’t life or death.  My plate has been full for the past few weeks, but finally it is now a little on the less full side.  I can’t say it’s anywhere near empty, but I have a little time back to blog.  I have missed you all.  Sorry for the short hiatus–let’s be honest…I have written a post of any substance in a few weeks. 

Well school is done and I am happy to say that I managed to get an A in my stats class which is really nice and I am all but certain that I rocked an A in my curriculum course.  It’s nice to get straight A’s.  I know I am a super geek–but those three little letters behind my name are so worth being a geek for. 

Christmas is in full swing here at Chez Finley.  The tree is up and decorated.  The lights are up outside as are the atrocious inflatables that St. Nick delivered to us via my crazy mother–I love you mom.  I’m sorry if you love your inflatables–I love them too in someone else’s yard.  But now we have two huge ones in our yard.  I do have to say that the kids love them and we only have to put them up as long as we live in the same city as my mom–as she lives close enough to drive by and check it out.    St. Nick visited our house and brought the kids books–our new tradition.  Noah thought it was cool to wake up and find presents in his shoes.  It took him 20 minutes to open his presents–he ripped the paper off one little piece at a time.  Christmas morning might take a while–thank goodness Santa doesn’t wrap his presents this year. 

We finally went on a tour of what will hopefully be Noah’s school through 8th grade.  It blew my mind and I will work 2 jobs if I have to in order to pay for this for our kids.  I am in love with this school and everything that it stands behind and does.  There is nothing I don’t like about this school and I hope that Noah gets in.  There are only 16 kids in the 3/4 class.  There is one class at each grade and each class has only 24-26 except for the 3/4 and 4/5’s they have only 16 kids.  Each class has two teachers and there are no textbooks to be found.  It is really an absolutely amazing school.  They really want Noah–they strive for diversity, so as long as he has a good interview (observation) he should be in.  Now we just have to hope for financial aid–or maybe I could sell a kidney.  Just a thought.

I have eaten myself sick on Christmas cookies.  I made cookies this year and Noah did a great job helping me with the cookie press, sprinkles and rolling the snickerdoodles in the cin/sugar mixture.  I now remember why I haven’t made Christmas cookies in a long time.  I figure if I keep drinking wine, I won’t eat the cookies–so far not working.  Snickerdoodles and Syrah not a bad combo. 

I have been busy with photography clients.  I have done nearly one shoot a week every week for the past 6 weeks and that keeps me very busy with touch ups, etc.  One of my lenses broke–it is my go to lens.  I had to buy a new one and I wanted to get a good one.  So that should be here tomorrow and I am so excited as it is an awesome lens.  I bought it used–because new it is over $1500 and that is just insane to spend on a lens.  I got a decent deal one a used/like new one and can’t wait to check it out to make sure it is in good shape. 

I will go ahead and cut this off here.  I want thank those of you still reading.  I know this is a lot.  But, I did throw in a few pictures for you all.  I’ll be back tomorrow with regular posts and am officially off hiatus. 

It’s nice to be back.