The next morning my mom, who had been awesome enough to stay over and keep the kids the night before, joined us for church and then some window shopping at the mall before lunch. It was nice to have so much consecutive one-on-one (one-on-four?) time with her. After lunch, she headed home and we got ready to go to Cookies and Cocoa with Santa at our neighborhood clubhouse. When the kids woke up from naps, we changed them and headed down for our appointment. It was so much nicer than having to wait in line forever at the mall and pay $30 for a terrible 5x7 shot. We walked right up, he read Audrey's list and talked to her, the professional photographer took a couple of shots, and then we quickly threw Luke on his lap as she snapped a few more. David and I even jumped in the last one and it turned out great. See for yourself:
We ate a couple of cookies, drank hot chocolate, and the kids colored pictures while we chatted with a couple with two boys that we'd met at the pool over the summer. The mom and I swapped numbers and email addresses and promised to schedule a play date soon. We made good on our word the next Wednesday when we met at the neighborhood park for a little while.
The next week things started to pick up as they tend to do this time of year. Audrey and I went out for a Mommy-Daughter dinner and shopping date one evening, which was so nice. I rarely get one-on-one time with her anymore and it's such a treat...not to mention immensely easier than having both or just Luke at his age.
That Wednesday was Audrey's Christmas program at school. She was dressed in a star costume, which was very big and awkward on her. Bless her heart, she didn't sing hardly a word and looked scared for her life the whole time. She did ring her handbell at the appropriate times during "Silent Night" (which was anything but silent in that room with 50+ 4 and 5 year olds ringing bells!) After her performance, I raced back to the room to finish setting up the refreshment table and then fix her a little plate. She showed us some of the artwork she'd been working on and told us about different areas of her classroom. Later that night I asked her why she didn't sing when I knew she knew the words. She explained that it was because it was her first time on stage. I told her it wasn't...that she'd done a Grandparents' Day performance at her old school. She said, "Yeah, Mom, but that was only hundreds of eyes looking at me. Today, there were THOUSANDS of eyes staring." Poor baby. I do hope public performances get easier for her!
That Wednesday was Audrey's Christmas program at school. She was dressed in a star costume, which was very big and awkward on her. Bless her heart, she didn't sing hardly a word and looked scared for her life the whole time. She did ring her handbell at the appropriate times during "Silent Night" (which was anything but silent in that room with 50+ 4 and 5 year olds ringing bells!) After her performance, I raced back to the room to finish setting up the refreshment table and then fix her a little plate. She showed us some of the artwork she'd been working on and told us about different areas of her classroom. Later that night I asked her why she didn't sing when I knew she knew the words. She explained that it was because it was her first time on stage. I told her it wasn't...that she'd done a Grandparents' Day performance at her old school. She said, "Yeah, Mom, but that was only hundreds of eyes looking at me. Today, there were THOUSANDS of eyes staring." Poor baby. I do hope public performances get easier for her!
That Thursday, the kids and I drove up to Greenville SC to meet my friend Kara and her three kids for a play date at a children's museum. Kara and her family moved to Lexington in July and, though we've seen each other a few times since, we have missed them terribly. Greenville is about halfway between us, so we decided to meet up there and I'm so glad we did. The kids had a great time exploring all of the cool exhibits and Kara and I actually managed to catch up in between keeping an eye on everyone. At one point she took one of her girls to the bathroom while I held 3 month old Reid and watched the other kids. I was thinking, "man, this isn't so hard! I got this" for a full thirty seconds before I realized I'd forgotten to keep an eye on Luke and had no idea where he was. He was just around the corner playing, but I guess if you're going to lose one, it's better to lose your own.
The same day also marked our one year anniversary in our house. I had spent hours and hours putting together a video for David of all the before/after photos and a typed-up project list of what we'd accomplished in that time. We watched it that night after the kids were in bed and were both really amazed at how much work we'd done and the changes that had taken place. Truth be told, it still doesn't feel 100% like home, but it's much, much closer than it was a year ago and with each brush stroke, nail hole, and grout line, it's getting there.
The same day also marked our one year anniversary in our house. I had spent hours and hours putting together a video for David of all the before/after photos and a typed-up project list of what we'd accomplished in that time. We watched it that night after the kids were in bed and were both really amazed at how much work we'd done and the changes that had taken place. Truth be told, it still doesn't feel 100% like home, but it's much, much closer than it was a year ago and with each brush stroke, nail hole, and grout line, it's getting there.
The second weekend of the month we spent Friday night at Christmas in the Park which is a cute little festival put on by a local church. They had different tents set up to look like a village and each one had a different activity - making an ornament, playing a game, writing a letter to a soldier, hearing a Christmas story, etc. They also had live music and ballet/dance performances on stage. It was really cool and got all of us in the Christmas spirit. We ate dinner out and went home to prepare our house for a party the next day. That Saturday, we finished cleaning, did some wrapping, and baked cookies until our friends arrived around dinner time. There were 8 adults and 8 kids, so we wised up even before we had committed to host and decided to do pizza. The adults chatted as much as we could in between paper airplane retrieval, helping with sticker crafts, and sibling disagreements. It is always so good to catch up with this group whom we've known since high school. For just a little while we can all pretend we're as young as we were back then. Until someone bursts our bubble with "Mooooooom! He took my book/toy/airplane and won't give it baaaaaack!" Oh well.
The next day we had my dad and stepmom over to celebrate my dad's birthday. We ate lunch (that they were generous enough to bring as they drove all the way out, no less!) and visited for a little bit. We had cake and ice cream, let Dad open his present, and then Audrey squeezed her way in between them and showed off her new reading skills. They left around nap time and David and Audrey left to go on a Daddy-Daughter shopping and dinner date while Luke and I hung back to clean up from the party, wrap books for Audrey's class book exchange, and sneak leftover birthday cake. Audrey and David got back just after dinner time and she was gushing about how awesome a time they had. She did a great job of not telling me anything about my gifts, which was impressive.
The next week, the third in December, was a very busy one. During the days I ran around buying gift cards for Audrey's teachers' gift card wreaths, went in to her school to get the kids' fingerprints on the teachers' cards, finished up last minute shopping, shipped packages and cards, cut 102 rectangles and prepped for a craft for Audrey's class party, and hit the grocery store at least three times. The evenings were busy too. I delivered a meal to a friend recovering from surgery on Monday night, we hosted one of David's customers from work for dinner on Tuesday night (a first in nearly ten years of marriage! Guess my lucky streak ran out!), and Wednesday we snuck away for a dinner date complete with a stop at Toys R Us then Target to find just the right baby doll that Santa would leave for Audrey.
Thursday was a self-imposed chill-at-home day. We worked on a craft gift, finished putting together the teachers' wreaths, and had a lunch picnic in front of the Christmas tree. We went to the park that afternoon and played our hearts out, literally closing the place down. After meeting David for dinner at our favorite mexican restaurant, we drove around to check out Christmas lights while eating candy canes and belting out carols. It was one of those great nights that make the season.
On Friday, David's mom kept Luke while I helped out at Audrey's class party. We did centers, then I went to pick up pizza while the kids had Play Ball and did their book exchange. I came back and helped serve the class then cleaned up while they went to the playground. I was meeting my co-room mom to give the teachers their gifts with her, so I got to hang out and be a part of most of the day. After we gave the teachers their presents, I checked Audrey out a few minutes early. I was so looking forward to a night of resting and a Christmas movie, but it was cut short because I insisted on taking Luke to a Minute Clinic to get his ears checked. I was almost positive they were fine, but my relentlessness wouldn't let up and I was worried about being in the same boat as last year when we spent 3-4 hours in after-hours care two days before Christmas. So, instead, we spent two hours in a CVS to hear, "yes, they're red, but they aren't infected right now." Obviously I was thankful for that news, but more than a little mad at spending one of our last free evenings before Christmas there. No matter...we made it home in time to have scarf down a late dinner and watch Frosty the Snowman.
Thursday was a self-imposed chill-at-home day. We worked on a craft gift, finished putting together the teachers' wreaths, and had a lunch picnic in front of the Christmas tree. We went to the park that afternoon and played our hearts out, literally closing the place down. After meeting David for dinner at our favorite mexican restaurant, we drove around to check out Christmas lights while eating candy canes and belting out carols. It was one of those great nights that make the season.
On Friday, David's mom kept Luke while I helped out at Audrey's class party. We did centers, then I went to pick up pizza while the kids had Play Ball and did their book exchange. I came back and helped serve the class then cleaned up while they went to the playground. I was meeting my co-room mom to give the teachers their gifts with her, so I got to hang out and be a part of most of the day. After we gave the teachers their presents, I checked Audrey out a few minutes early. I was so looking forward to a night of resting and a Christmas movie, but it was cut short because I insisted on taking Luke to a Minute Clinic to get his ears checked. I was almost positive they were fine, but my relentlessness wouldn't let up and I was worried about being in the same boat as last year when we spent 3-4 hours in after-hours care two days before Christmas. So, instead, we spent two hours in a CVS to hear, "yes, they're red, but they aren't infected right now." Obviously I was thankful for that news, but more than a little mad at spending one of our last free evenings before Christmas there. No matter...we made it home in time to have scarf down a late dinner and watch Frosty the Snowman.
The next morning I did a short-long run before we packed up the van and headed to our first Christmas celebration at David's grandparents in Alabama. Since we were trying to pack so much in before hitting the road, we let the kids open their gifts before lunch. They got some adorable stuff and did a great job savoring each gift. We ate and ate and ate and then put Luke down for a nap while we ate some more. He woke up just in time to let us adults do our gift card swap, visit another minute, and then load the car for the ride home. Our visits there always go too fast, but we so enjoy seeing everyone.
The next day we went to church and then came home to clean house, help Audrey wrap her gifts, and make a gingerbread house. We pulled out the gifts for celebration #2 and loaded up the car in preparation for our next day's trip. David had started coming down with a cold, so I was trying to simultaneously rest up and get everything else finished in case it wiped me out too.
On Monday morning, we left early to drive to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Villa Rica. We got there around 9:15am and ate a delicious brunch of sausage balls, cinnamon rolls, hashbrown casserole, and fruit. The kids started opening presents and played really well together (at least the older three) and with the new puppy and new kitten my brother's family had gotten a week earlier. They were so fuzzy and cute! (The pets...not the cousins.) I took a lot of pictures, but forgot to do any video which annoys me. Regardless, the gift exchanging, catching up, and loving time with family marched right on and was as crazy and awesome as you can imagine with five kids five and under.
Christmas #3 began the next morning on Christmas Eve when David's parents came over to celebrate with us at our house. They came bearing gifts galore for all of us, but my favorite thing they gave me were four published annual books of this very blog. I have been wanting to have them forever and it meant so much to see them in print. Of course I can read through past entries online, but being able to flip through them and see the words in my hands is really special. I hope they will be something my kids treasure in the future.
My in-laws humored my request for an easy lunch and we ordered pizza and ate on paper plates. I know how to treat family right, don't I?! We ate and played with the kids' new toys and listened to them serenade us on the sunporch with Jingle Bells and the Pledge of Allegiance because, sure, why not? Around nap time they left and we put Luke down and gave Audrey a stack of books to read quietly in her room. We wanted to make sure she stayed awake so she'd go right to sleep at bedtime and Santa could come promptly. :) While they rested, David attempted to sleep off some of his cold while I prepared sausage balls, monkey bread, and corn pudding for the next day.
After the kids woke up, we baked and decorated Christmas cookies, fixed our traditional Mexican dinner of tacos and cheese dip, bathed them, and put them in their new Christmas pajamas. They each got to open up one present (always an ornament) and then chose a cookie to eat by the fire, which consequently caused an infiltration of wasps, so we turned it off and shut the flue. We laid out the cookies for Santa and poured out the bag of reindeer food she'd made at school in the front yard. All the boxes were checked - we were ready! We read the Christmas story from the Bible and The Night Before Christmas, said prayers, and put them to bed. Then Santa came and worked quite loudly putting train tracks together on the train table he'd previously assembled. His helper may or may not have had a tough time keeping the ponies-on-a-stick and Tickle-Me-Elmo from going off, but somehow the kids slept through it all.
The next morning dawned bright and early for me as I preheated the oven, took a shower, and then began cooking our traditional holiday breakfast of sausage balls and monkey bread. By 7:30, David, Luke, and I were ready to go but Sleepyhead Audrey was still sacked out. We woke her up and waited for the cue from Daddy that it was safe to come down the stairs. When they rounded the corner, the site that was laid out before them was a kids' dream: a fully assembled train table that took up most of the family room floor and a pony-on-a-stick for each of them. For Audrey, there was a Cabbage Patch Doll, a set of Fancy Nancy books, and a stuffed pink poodle just like she requested. For Luke, there was a Tickle-Me-Elmo, a new book, and a set of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood sticker scene. Their stockings were brimming over with new DVDs, suckers and candy, crayons, and activity packets. They jumped on their "horses" and ran around the train table in excitement. Months of imagining that scene paid off while I watched their joyful faces.
The rest of the day was wonderfully predictable: open present, play, eat, rest, repeat. The kids went down for naps and David and I exchanged our usual gifts of dates. Long story short, I wanted to surprise him with a new TV for the basement but decided not to. Instead I gave him the choice of renting a sports car for a day or putting the money towards a new TV. Like the rest of the male population would have chosen, he picked the latter. He gave me an overnight stay at hotel downtown for the Hot Chocolate 15K run later this month. What's more, he gave me the gift of him doing the 5K portion of it! I love this new tradition we have going of date exchanges. At this stage in our life, what we need most is time together and taking time to plan something the other would like and then getting to anticipate it with each other means so much.
After the kids got up, we played some more and I started dinner. I'd made corn pudding the night before, bought potato salad, and had leftover beans I cooked for my brothers', so all we had to do was the ham, some rolls, microwave mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese. I had never done a ham before, but the deli lady at Publix sold me on a Boar's Head glaze that seemed really easy. I finished setting the dining room table with china plates and crystal glasses and lit the taper candles. Audrey asked if we could stay in our pajamas for our fancy dinner and it took me approximately .02 seconds to say, "absolutely." For all the work being a grown-up is, it sure pays off when you get to pave your own way sometimes. I wanted to do a "nice" dinner in the dining room this year but who cares what we wore?! I may have them dress differently when they can dress themselves, but for this season in our life, eating microwaved mashed potatoes beside our first home cooked ham while in our pajamas equaled absolute perfection.
After clearing the dishes, we let the kids each open their final present. They only got three each from us but the opening of them lasted all day because we stretched it out and played so much in between. Audrey got a Spiral-graph art maker, a set of walkie-talkies, and an Ariel and Prince Eric doll set. Luke got a Little People merry-go-round set, a ball and hammer toy, and a tool belt with tools. We played some more and then changed out of pajamas into fresh pajamas - ahhhhh - and read one of my favorite children's Christmas book "Spirit of Christmas" by Nancy Tillman. What an awesome way to end an awesome day.
The next day we went to church and then came home to clean house, help Audrey wrap her gifts, and make a gingerbread house. We pulled out the gifts for celebration #2 and loaded up the car in preparation for our next day's trip. David had started coming down with a cold, so I was trying to simultaneously rest up and get everything else finished in case it wiped me out too.
On Monday morning, we left early to drive to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Villa Rica. We got there around 9:15am and ate a delicious brunch of sausage balls, cinnamon rolls, hashbrown casserole, and fruit. The kids started opening presents and played really well together (at least the older three) and with the new puppy and new kitten my brother's family had gotten a week earlier. They were so fuzzy and cute! (The pets...not the cousins.) I took a lot of pictures, but forgot to do any video which annoys me. Regardless, the gift exchanging, catching up, and loving time with family marched right on and was as crazy and awesome as you can imagine with five kids five and under.
Christmas #3 began the next morning on Christmas Eve when David's parents came over to celebrate with us at our house. They came bearing gifts galore for all of us, but my favorite thing they gave me were four published annual books of this very blog. I have been wanting to have them forever and it meant so much to see them in print. Of course I can read through past entries online, but being able to flip through them and see the words in my hands is really special. I hope they will be something my kids treasure in the future.
My in-laws humored my request for an easy lunch and we ordered pizza and ate on paper plates. I know how to treat family right, don't I?! We ate and played with the kids' new toys and listened to them serenade us on the sunporch with Jingle Bells and the Pledge of Allegiance because, sure, why not? Around nap time they left and we put Luke down and gave Audrey a stack of books to read quietly in her room. We wanted to make sure she stayed awake so she'd go right to sleep at bedtime and Santa could come promptly. :) While they rested, David attempted to sleep off some of his cold while I prepared sausage balls, monkey bread, and corn pudding for the next day.
After the kids woke up, we baked and decorated Christmas cookies, fixed our traditional Mexican dinner of tacos and cheese dip, bathed them, and put them in their new Christmas pajamas. They each got to open up one present (always an ornament) and then chose a cookie to eat by the fire, which consequently caused an infiltration of wasps, so we turned it off and shut the flue. We laid out the cookies for Santa and poured out the bag of reindeer food she'd made at school in the front yard. All the boxes were checked - we were ready! We read the Christmas story from the Bible and The Night Before Christmas, said prayers, and put them to bed. Then Santa came and worked quite loudly putting train tracks together on the train table he'd previously assembled. His helper may or may not have had a tough time keeping the ponies-on-a-stick and Tickle-Me-Elmo from going off, but somehow the kids slept through it all.
The next morning dawned bright and early for me as I preheated the oven, took a shower, and then began cooking our traditional holiday breakfast of sausage balls and monkey bread. By 7:30, David, Luke, and I were ready to go but Sleepyhead Audrey was still sacked out. We woke her up and waited for the cue from Daddy that it was safe to come down the stairs. When they rounded the corner, the site that was laid out before them was a kids' dream: a fully assembled train table that took up most of the family room floor and a pony-on-a-stick for each of them. For Audrey, there was a Cabbage Patch Doll, a set of Fancy Nancy books, and a stuffed pink poodle just like she requested. For Luke, there was a Tickle-Me-Elmo, a new book, and a set of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood sticker scene. Their stockings were brimming over with new DVDs, suckers and candy, crayons, and activity packets. They jumped on their "horses" and ran around the train table in excitement. Months of imagining that scene paid off while I watched their joyful faces.
The rest of the day was wonderfully predictable: open present, play, eat, rest, repeat. The kids went down for naps and David and I exchanged our usual gifts of dates. Long story short, I wanted to surprise him with a new TV for the basement but decided not to. Instead I gave him the choice of renting a sports car for a day or putting the money towards a new TV. Like the rest of the male population would have chosen, he picked the latter. He gave me an overnight stay at hotel downtown for the Hot Chocolate 15K run later this month. What's more, he gave me the gift of him doing the 5K portion of it! I love this new tradition we have going of date exchanges. At this stage in our life, what we need most is time together and taking time to plan something the other would like and then getting to anticipate it with each other means so much.
After the kids got up, we played some more and I started dinner. I'd made corn pudding the night before, bought potato salad, and had leftover beans I cooked for my brothers', so all we had to do was the ham, some rolls, microwave mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese. I had never done a ham before, but the deli lady at Publix sold me on a Boar's Head glaze that seemed really easy. I finished setting the dining room table with china plates and crystal glasses and lit the taper candles. Audrey asked if we could stay in our pajamas for our fancy dinner and it took me approximately .02 seconds to say, "absolutely." For all the work being a grown-up is, it sure pays off when you get to pave your own way sometimes. I wanted to do a "nice" dinner in the dining room this year but who cares what we wore?! I may have them dress differently when they can dress themselves, but for this season in our life, eating microwaved mashed potatoes beside our first home cooked ham while in our pajamas equaled absolute perfection.
After clearing the dishes, we let the kids each open their final present. They only got three each from us but the opening of them lasted all day because we stretched it out and played so much in between. Audrey got a Spiral-graph art maker, a set of walkie-talkies, and an Ariel and Prince Eric doll set. Luke got a Little People merry-go-round set, a ball and hammer toy, and a tool belt with tools. We played some more and then changed out of pajamas into fresh pajamas - ahhhhh - and read one of my favorite children's Christmas book "Spirit of Christmas" by Nancy Tillman. What an awesome way to end an awesome day.
The next morning, I got up super early and was at Kohl's by 6am. Since we've celebrated Christmas with my family on the day after for the past couple of years, it's been awhile since I've hit the post-Christmas sales. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I made returns without standing in line and didn't hit a crowd until my third store - Parson's Christmas Shoppe. I went to Kohl's, Target, Parson's, and Belk and I was home by 11:30 for lunch with everyone. Even better was that I only spent about $50 thanks to gift cards and returns and I got a ton of great finds! Later that afternoon, Audrey and I hit Home Depot for a return and then Hobby Lobby, but didn't get anything from either one. We ate leftovers for dinner and enjoyed another night of just hanging out.
David went to work that Friday and then, on Saturday, we dropped the kids off at Pam and Ed's to spend the night while we ran some errands and went out to lunch. We came home and began undecorating our tree while catching up on our DVR. We were productive, but it was especially nice to do so by just sit on the couch wrapping up ornaments. We got down all the boxes from the attic and I packed up the family room before deciding that was enough work for the day. So, we sat around and vegged some more. At one point I asked David what time it was and then we quickly realized we didn't care! We'd eat when we got hungry and go to bed when we got tired. SUCH a nice feeling.
Unfortunately, the kids, and therefore the grandparents, had a tougher night. Audrey was coming down with David's cold and Luke was still fighting his. Still, they didn't want to come home early so they toughed it out and my awesome in-laws hung in there and then brought them home after lunch the next day. I ran out for a pre-birthday pedicure during their nap time and then we settled in for a night of more undecorating and playing.
The next day was my birthday and we took off for some returns at the mall. While there, we road the merry-go-round and window shopped a little. We decided to head home for lunch and then, because it was my special day, David was a good sport and joined me in some closet reorganization before nap time. The kids slept and we researched anniversary trip destinations and dreamed about where we wanted to go. After the kids woke up, we went out for dinner at Five Guys and home for cake and presents. The kids gave me a really cool floor lamp for the craft room and David got me a gorgeous new watch. I don't cry over gifts, y'all, but I totally teared up at that one. I had been wanting one for so long and dropped a few hints, but honestly didn't expect it. I love it and felt really, really splurged on and spoiled. He nailed it. It was the icing on the cake of a day filled with family time, organizing, and...actual cake. GREAT 31st.
David worked New Year's Eve, more so than he wanted to as he had a conference call at 11:30 that night. He managed to get off at 11:57, though, and for the first time in several years, we stayed awake to ring in the new year. Of course, we were asleep by 12:10, but at least we saw the start of 2014.
Great holidays, great month. Busier than I would've liked, especially right before Christmas, but I think that's just the reality of the holidays with young kids. My motto this season seemed to be "at least it's not as crazy as last year." Something about closing and moving two weeks before Christmas reminds you that it could always be busier. Next year I'll aim to do a little more beforehand and commit a little less during, but best laid plans of mice and Type-A women and all that...
Sorry I don't have more details on the kids or any cute quotes for you in this update, but considering the volume and detail I just covered, you probably need to get back to whatever you should be doing anyway! :)
I hope you all had a fantastic season and wish you a very Happy New Year! I look forward to chronicling more of our adventures and sharing them with you in 2014. God bless!
David went to work that Friday and then, on Saturday, we dropped the kids off at Pam and Ed's to spend the night while we ran some errands and went out to lunch. We came home and began undecorating our tree while catching up on our DVR. We were productive, but it was especially nice to do so by just sit on the couch wrapping up ornaments. We got down all the boxes from the attic and I packed up the family room before deciding that was enough work for the day. So, we sat around and vegged some more. At one point I asked David what time it was and then we quickly realized we didn't care! We'd eat when we got hungry and go to bed when we got tired. SUCH a nice feeling.
Unfortunately, the kids, and therefore the grandparents, had a tougher night. Audrey was coming down with David's cold and Luke was still fighting his. Still, they didn't want to come home early so they toughed it out and my awesome in-laws hung in there and then brought them home after lunch the next day. I ran out for a pre-birthday pedicure during their nap time and then we settled in for a night of more undecorating and playing.
The next day was my birthday and we took off for some returns at the mall. While there, we road the merry-go-round and window shopped a little. We decided to head home for lunch and then, because it was my special day, David was a good sport and joined me in some closet reorganization before nap time. The kids slept and we researched anniversary trip destinations and dreamed about where we wanted to go. After the kids woke up, we went out for dinner at Five Guys and home for cake and presents. The kids gave me a really cool floor lamp for the craft room and David got me a gorgeous new watch. I don't cry over gifts, y'all, but I totally teared up at that one. I had been wanting one for so long and dropped a few hints, but honestly didn't expect it. I love it and felt really, really splurged on and spoiled. He nailed it. It was the icing on the cake of a day filled with family time, organizing, and...actual cake. GREAT 31st.
David worked New Year's Eve, more so than he wanted to as he had a conference call at 11:30 that night. He managed to get off at 11:57, though, and for the first time in several years, we stayed awake to ring in the new year. Of course, we were asleep by 12:10, but at least we saw the start of 2014.
Great holidays, great month. Busier than I would've liked, especially right before Christmas, but I think that's just the reality of the holidays with young kids. My motto this season seemed to be "at least it's not as crazy as last year." Something about closing and moving two weeks before Christmas reminds you that it could always be busier. Next year I'll aim to do a little more beforehand and commit a little less during, but best laid plans of mice and Type-A women and all that...
Sorry I don't have more details on the kids or any cute quotes for you in this update, but considering the volume and detail I just covered, you probably need to get back to whatever you should be doing anyway! :)
I hope you all had a fantastic season and wish you a very Happy New Year! I look forward to chronicling more of our adventures and sharing them with you in 2014. God bless!
