First Post of the Year...Update

I admit, I am not as good at this blogging thing as I was hoping to be. I have a hard time being motivated to add new posts with any kind of consistency. I was going to do a year in review post but realized that everything I was going to mention has already been posted here at one time or another. I can say about the new year that I do hope my year is filled with more positive outcomes and less waiting for the other shoe to drop.

For now we are all doing well. Kevin is still employed and receiving a pay check. He is 10% down on pay but with a little finagling with his IRS contributions we have actually not seen a drop in his monthly take home pay (he was putting in way more money and taking no deductions). Unfortunately his company is still fighting for life. The economic woes are taking a massive toll on manufacturing and people are just not spending money to develop new projects. Honestly you cannot blame them when no one can sell the current products they have. Everyone still employed with Kevin is working overtime to try and get any job possible. I have not mentioned on here before but there is a very real possibility that his company could shut the door permanently. Should that happen we are being forced to look into not only moving from our home but completely out of our home state. Not many manufacturing jobs here in Florida, especially SW Fla. Guess that is what happens when the legislative powers that be would rather base our future on sales tax dollars from tourism (shuffling money around) versus creating products (creating money). I must say being married to Kevin has really opened my eyes to how important US manufacturing is. I have seen an email being circulated about a guy wondering why he cannot get a job but all his items are foreign made. Really think about it because that is a lot more accurate than you realize.

We did have a fabulous time over the holidays. Got to see all my family in Alabama over Thanksgiving. I feel so blessed to have such great extended family and love spending time with them. I do wish we could get together more often but I will take what I can get. I was also introduced to antique/flea markets. So very cool. I got a little chandelier for my entry way and I must say it looks awesome. Outside of seeing family going to these markets was the best part. Of course I could have killed Kevin when he let the boys try on a helmet at one of the stores and both kids had lice once we got home. So gross. First time for us. By the way, the special comb does not work...you have to pull all those microscopic nits out with your fingernails. Yuck. Here are some of my favorite pics from Alabama this year....

Waiting for the train

Kyle...so sweet

Playing football

Leaving Alabama Kevin and I decided we would go to the UF/FSU game. We go every year but we were considering not this year. Glad we did as I did not know at the time it would be the last Gator game I got to go to. Of course we were completely soaked as the rain just came down and down and down. It was so muddy and wet everywhere. Worth it though, for me at least. Kevin was not too sure.

Christmas we did our usual round robin so we could get time in with all family. We spent Christmas Eve with Kevin's family, Christmas morning at home with just the kiddos, Christmas afternoon and evening with my family, Friday and Saturday back with Kevin's family and then the boys and I went with my mom to the Keys on Sunday for the following week. As busy as this all is we decided that now would be the best time to try and refinance our house for a lower interest rate. Of course this meant that we needed to redo our entire living room and finish the entry way. Oh man. For the week leading up to Christmas all Kevin and I were doing was striping, painting, replacing and hanging. With all our Christmas stuff, including the decorated tree, in the middle of the room. Ugh. Whatever I was thinking I do not know...but our entry way and living room are gorgeous now. Yea! Had our appraisal done and it has come in lower than what we really needed so we will see how the bank wants to proceed. I know our refinance will go through but may take a little more effort.

Most of Kevin's family

Cousins with Uncle Michael

Kevin did get to join us in the Keys New Year's eve which was good. Although we stayed at the house and did a low key celebration this year I think we had a nice time. Poor mama got sick the night before she was supposed to leave. We had already gone home. Todd also got sick the same time mom did. The two of them picked up some stomach bug. Ick. I think mama was worse off then Todd but she is finally feeling better now.

So, now everyone is updated. I am hoping I will be able to update more frequently but do not hold your breathe...you just might turn blue.