Poor poor Darla

Okay, Darla and I have tried to get to the root of this problem and guess what- we're stuck. I'm going to verify with Mike when he wakes up but what I read was that currently there is no way to change the account sign in if it is a gmail account. Our plan had been to just use our user name and password as the new gmail- also that way we could send personal info like addresses etc...through a family e-mail BUT evidently it can't be done yet. After I verify with Mike I will write their HELP service and ask for a time estimate. So... you are all on the honor system that you will use Darla's e-mail address and the password ONLY to get into our blog to post and not to read the steamy e-mails that she and Geof have been sending back and forth whilst they are apart. If for some reason you don't have Darla's e-mail address you can contact Aunt Jack, Mindi, or Meags or me (good luck with that) or call Geof's cell because Darla has a new phone number- hence me not being able to get ahold of her for the past three days.

Let's not let this hinder our blogging. Now that the holidays are over there is no excuse, except maybe the millions of things you let slide during the holidays. Sorry for this little blip. Should eventually work out.

Moni and Cam, Jess and Tony, thank you for your Christmas cards and your adorable pictures. I am going to get them all up on my fridge as soon as the suitcase where they reside is unpacked! Actually it is my last suitcase and I put all the misc. in there as I was unpacking. I'm pretty excited about that.

We are still dealing with jet lag. We were fine on the way to Wa. but the trip back has killed us. I think the key is coming into someplace at night-that is what you should do- you are exhausted from travelling, you visit for a bit and then you sleep for several hours and you are normal. We came back home in the late morning, we were all exhausted and slept all afternoon and though I tried to get the girls to stay awake they kept falling asleep all evening and then we were all wide awake all night. Jane got ready for church at 6 am and by an hour before we were supposed to go everyone started crashing. So... today we are almost normal except that Ellyn fell asleep at 5 and Mike at 7 and Jane and Sadie at 7:30 and I'm the loner awake at 9:13. I think I'm good now, except that they will all be waking up at about 4 and I will be exhausted. Last night they all woke up at 3:00, the whole house was wide awake. Luckily they all have colds and so with a clear conscience I gave them each some Tylenol cold and read to them for about 45 minutes and then put them back to bed. It has worked to Mike's advantage though because the football games all start at 2 am here and so he has been wide awake for all of those. I think he and Ellyn will be sharing some football time tonight.

We had a wonderful trip. We have the best two families anyone could possibly have. I love you all so much. We are all about 5-10 lbs heavier and thus my New Year's Res that I vow never to make is eating healthier and excersizing more. Really, it isn't too hard, I had just gotten slack and indulgent. It's hard with so many holidays so close together, we just start at Halloween and let the sugar fest continue until New Years. I'm too old though, and I don't have the willpower if I really go out of control. It's funny to know that I'm writing this to a family of excersizing, healthy food obsessed, Beecher women and skinny Mindi and Darla of course. I am excited because upon returning to Bavaria I have discovered that our commissary has started carrying a whole new line of organic food. A few organic choices in just about every category. This is HUGE- I had given up on ever trying to eliminate all those healthy additives from my diet. Mostly because I'm too cheap to shop anywhere besides the commissary. But now, for a few dollars more a month I can have my cake and eat it too (if it is organic angel food that is).

Okay, I have to go to be now, it's nearly 9:30- YIKES!!!! I love you all.

Blog out- Brooke