General (overall) update

There are so many things going on in our lives right now that I thought I'd just do a general (overall) update of everything:

1). Lance's job search is going.... he has put in many resumes/applications and finds new opportunities everyday. Hopefully there will be some interviews in the new year. It does seem like there are jobs out there, not tons - but some. Sometimes we feel optimistic and sometimes we feel downright scared. We know we will be fine until April, but sometimes that feels like a long time away and sometimes that feels like it's just around the corner. I feel like one of those people that the candidates would talk about during the election.... going to sleep at night worried about rising costs, a spouse laid off, mortgage and taxes, etc.

2). I found a daycare for Alex! Since we had to pull him out of his daycare because it was too far away to drive to (~25 miles each way) - we've been looking for a new place that is close to home. I thought that looking for daycare for a toddler would be less stressful and emotional - but I was WRONG! It was very difficult and I even called Lance from the parking lot of one of them because it was so bad and cried (just like when looking for infant care!). The good news is I found a wonderful daycare/preschool that is ~3 miles away. It's a home daycare, unlike the daycare center that he was at before. The teacher is a Mom of 2 and she's just wonderful. My best advice to people looking for daycare has been that you just have an instinct about it - and it's very true. It just feels right. He will start the last week of January.

3). Alex said "I love you" tonight for the first time! Lance and I were shocked! He kept on saying it and we said it back to him many times. We have no idea where he learned it, but we love it!

4). We have 10-12 inches of snow at our house tonight after a day long snow storm. I wasn't able to go to work, the roads are very icy, probably won't go in Friday, either. It's just too dangerous with all the hills. Good thing I brought home my work computer!

5). Because of the snow storm, I made play-dough and covered the entire coffee table with paper so that Alex can draw on it. Although he does love to be outside until his fingers turn blue, he does have to come in a warm up sometime.

I guess that's it for now. You're all up to date!