Do you like the holidays?

If you had asked me that as a child, I would have said no. It was such a stressful time for our family. We were poor and our house usually had a lot of anger going on. I'm sure with us crazy, wild kids in the house, it stressed my step mother out.

Now, I do like the holidays. Steve's Mom really showed me how to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. She especially loved Christmas. She prepared all year for it, buying 'after Christmas sales' and looking for that special gift for each person all year long.

We still don't have much money to spend on expensive gifts, but I like the decorations, food, and of course, the sweet spirit some people get just because it is Christmas.

I love spending time with family, seeing old friends and celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Dan, Rachel, Chase and Blue at the Christmas parade in Springfield.