December festivities...

This month we've decided to put "X's" on our calendar. An "X" means a free night at home to make plans. Plans to go see the Christmas lights at the Nascar Speedway; plans to bake cookies and go out for breakfast; plans to enjoy grandparents; plans to watch Christmas movies; plans to do absolutely nothing! Those "X's" are few and far between this month, but we are making the most of them. So far we have gone to see the Christmas lights, we have baked cookies, we have gone out for breakfast and we have spent time with grandparents. These have all been family activities together. As for me, I've sang in our Christmas concert at church and tonight will be caroling with our choir at the Billy Graham Library here in Charlotte. They say it is absolutely beautiful this time of year...I cannot wait!

Girls Day (began with breakfast)

Then back to bake cookies (the annual "Mom's the boss" photo. Taylor didn't get that memo :)

My sweet girls! (yes, doing the "Mom" face)

The needed ingredients

The Bakers!

The finished products...YUM!
On our way to the Nascar Speedway!
Traveling around the track (about made me sick to my stomach)
Evening ended with a CookOut milkshake!

Merry Christmas. Goodbye 2011!

I'm not kidding...I think if time flew by any quicker... I don't even know where this year went. It sure has been a great one though!

Scott continues to stay busy in ministry...VERY busy! He's in the midst of his doctorate degree and hopes to complete it December, 2012. I do plan to call him "Dr. Vail" at least one time to see how that sounds :) He has worked so hard...yet still keeps me and his kids priority. Love that man!

Heather is one class away from getting her college degree. She has worked so hard on her studies and has done great. She still works part-time at Carolinas Counseling Center (where I am bookkeeper). I honestly can say I do not know what I would do without her there. She is the biggest help ever and does an amazing job! Heather has a bucket-list and is eagerly fulfilling it. I told her she has done way more than I ever have. She is enjoying life to the fullest.

Lindsay just finished up her first semester as a junior at UNCG! In fact, she just walked in the door a couple of hours ago to begin her Christmas break. She took 18 hours this semester, which she promises she will never do again. She still works at Chick-fil-A (4 years) and babysits alot when she's home. She has been interviewing with Target, here in Charlotte, for an internship program next summer for a managerial position (40 hours/week for 10 weeks). She had countless interviews and just found out last week that she was chosen out of 60 people that interviewed for the job!!!!! She's so excited about that. She and Brad have now been dating 2 1/2 years and we're sure we will see a ring in the next 6 months. We love that boy!

Caleb is a senior in high school and was just accepted to UNCG as well. He's waiting to hear from Appalachian State in Boone, NC and then will make his decision (although I believe he's already decided to go to Greensboro). He's just a few inches shy from his Dad now and just about as big (in the muscles department), although he would say bigger :) He still cheers competitively and works at the gym as well about 15 hours/week. He's been dating a sweet, Christian girl, Taylor, for 6 months now. What a sweetheart she is!

Well, that's about it for now. The update of the Vail's! So thankful this Christmas season for a precious husband and best friend of almost 25 years (in May) and 3 children who love the Lord! I couldn't ask for any better Christmas gift than these 4 blessings God has given me!

I pray you have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior!

Back next year....

A Thanksgiving cruise! It was perfect. We had so much fun. We loaded up the car and headed to Tampa, FL last Wed morning. Traveled all day and arrived around dinner time to the hotel. Thursday morning, we boarded our ship and sailed to Cozumel, Mexico. We arrived there Saturday morning. The weather was beautiful...80's and sunny!

Basically, we ate, relaxed, ate, read, ate, took in all the activities (Scott learned how to fold towels into the shapes of animals; we learned all the moves to Michael Jackson's Thriller, I was the guest chosen to play "Minute to Win It",) oh, and we ate!!! Caleb lived on the room service. Every time we were in the cabins, he made sure to order something. He kept the crew very busy...and loved every minute of it (the girls said it was no different for him at home :)

We laughed, played alot of card games and had total relaxation. It was great and we will return next year...making the plans now. We told the kids that next time we would let them take a friend (probably one of those friends will be a fiancee').