I've been cheating.

On you, my friends who still read my xanga blog.

I've moved on.

After double-timing for the past several months, I've decided to make the switch.

To Blogger.

Will you forgive me?

And will you come with me?

If so, you can find all my rants, raves, tall tales, confessions, and stories here.

www.ginamoe.blogspot.com

See you there!

*I'm cold and sick of winter already. I just read this morning that we are about to have the coldest weather since 2004, and I'm ready to move to someplace sunny. We haven't had our usual Omaha winter thaw, and I've missed it.

*However, as a matter of perspective, I read a few mornings ago that there was snow in Baghdad for the first time in decades. People were smiling, laughing, gleeful at the sight of snow. They called each other and woke friends and family up to see this thing they had only heard about. In a war zone, a moment of joy, brought on by snow.

*But I'm still sick of winter.

*We cleaned Leah's toy room on Saturday. I have before pics, but I won't post them until I can post beautiful after pics as well. I'm still working on it. But the toy fairy had thrown up in our house and something needed to be done. 2 1/2 garbage bags later we still have a lot of toys, but they are much more accessible and organized. Now I just have to teach Leah to keep it that way!

*We realized last night that pre-registration for area preschools begins now or soon. So I put a call in to our neighborhood church's preschool to visit it. Leah is very excited at the thought. Me, not so much.

*Our wine club met again for the month of January, and we had a lot of fun. Our theme this month was funky labels, and there were some doozies. It's a fun group, and over time I think friendships will develop. We host in March, with the theme "wines that go well with chocolate". I suppose I'm going to have to buy and sample all sorts of chocolate between now and then. *Sigh* the things I do for this group!

*Many of you sent us Christmas letters. Thank you. I apologize that none were sent out from the Hostetler house this year. However, I'm still kicking around the idea of sending Valentine cards out instead, so don't give up on me yet!

*We have discovered something new: Skype! We are using it to talk with family over the computer, complete with video. And it's free if both parties are using skype! If you have a webcam and high speed internet, and are interested in talking with me or Leah over the computer this way, let me know! I'll send you my contact info. It's really fun.

*That's all I think. Now I have laundry to do, so this is officially:

*The end.

At Sunday School the other day Leah made a little nativity set that can be played with freely, and she has been having a lot of fun with it. Yesterday she even wanted to put it in my purse so that we could take it with us to go to my sister's and then meet Mike at work for lunch.

On our way home, Leah asked where Mary and Joseph were. "In my purse," I responded. My sister and I were just laughing at the absurdity of that statement when Leah said, "And where's their kid?" That did it. We busted out in laughter, as I asked Leah, "You mean, Baby Jesus?"

So we're having a fun Christmas season...celebrating the fact that Mary and Joseph and their kid spent a night in a stable in Bethlehem. Somehow, I imagine that a Christ-child born in a lowly stable might not be offended when he's referred to as one of the kids...especially by another kid who, just the other night, said this before going to bed:

"I feel my heart! I feel Jesus in my heart!"

Oh Come, Let us Adore Him.