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').

Bon Voyage and a Thanksgiving Praise...

In just a few short minutes, we will load the car and travel to Tampa. We will board a cruise ship tomorrow morning with our kids to spend the Thanksgiving weekend. We will enjoy a 4-day cruise traveling to Cozumel, Mexico. We are just slightly excited!

We also welcomed our newest nephew into the world last night @ 11:22pm. Caleb Micah (named after our son!!) weighed 11 pounds, 6 ounces and 22 1/2" long!!!!! My sister, Kristi, is doing great! Can't weight to meet this "little" guy!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I made it up myself....

Do you have only 10 minutes to prepare dinner, yet an afternoon for it to simmer?

With this cold weather coming, I LOVE to make soups! Could eat them everynight.
One day last week, I had all of about 10 minutes to get dinner together. Craving soup, my desire for that day was Chicken Vegetable (love that). Well, 10 minutes doesn't give you time to boil a chicken for several hours. So here's what I did:

1-48 oz 100% natural Swanson Chicken Broth
1-46 oz V8 Tomato juice (use 1/2)
2 cups water
4 lbs frozen mixed vegetables
2 T italian seasoning (at least that's how much it looked like when I sprinkled it in :)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Rotisserie chicken (already cooked from grocery store deli)

Bring broth and juice to a boil in a very large soup pot. Add vegetables and seasonings. Cut up chicken and add. Let simmer 3 hours. Voila!!!!!

It is absolutely delicious and super healthy. Okay, I'm sure this recipe is out there somewhere and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out..but hey, I did!!!! And I'm making it again...as we speak!

Courageous...

This Friday it's here! I've been waiting a year for this movie to hit the big screen...
Courageous...

Honor Begins at Home
Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.
While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.
When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?
Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Riveted moviegoers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.
Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.

This Friday, I will get to watch this movie with my husband, Heather, Lindsay, Brad, Caleb and Taylor. I know that my 3 kids and myself will walk away from that movie with something in common: being thankful that God has given us a husband and a Dad that loves the Lord with all his heart. A husband and a Dad who makes us his priority. A husband and a Dad that has the most integrity of any man I know. A husband and a Dad who loves us more than his own life; a man who not only definitely gives his best in his ministry but gives us his best also. We are so blessed and I will once again be reminded of that this Friday night!