Another Year Over...

Happy New Year 2010!

Well, we made it through another Christmas season. As it happens all too often, Dave and I leave all of our wrapping until the last minute. So, we were up until 4am Christmas morning disguising surprises. I also baked 3 pies. We sat on the couch downstairs for only a few minutes when Malcolm and Andy decided it was time to open up their gifts. If we had been to bed we might have let them go after their presents, but we hadn't so they didn't.

Dave brought them upstairs until 7am. I fell asleep on the couch downstairs, but apparently Dave didn't get much sleep because Malcolm was crying in diappointment. I so appreciated that he sacrificed for me while I was catching ZZZ's. I did feel guilty but then I decided that guilt was not a good Christmas emotion.

We had a very cozy day, just the 6 of us. Then, we drove 1 1/2 hours to see my mom, my sister, my brother-in-law and my nephew. We had a nice dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes, kind of a family tradition. One of my pies was supposed to be a vanilla-chocolate marble pudding pie, but it flopped. I think I added the layer of vanilla pudding before the chocolate pudding was cool enough. So, we called it "mud pie" because it was more like soup in a crust and went with it. I was the only one who dared to try it, but my other 2 pies were a hit! We exchanged gifts and headed home. It was a tough holiday without Dad, but we were thinking of him as if he was still with us.

So, OK, onto the next part of our adventure. My in-laws live in Canada and it's about a 7-hour drive to get to see them. We always go a day or two after Christmas. Our original goal was to spend 12/26 at home packing and then leave for Canada the next morning.

Well, every time we try to do this, my body fails. I just need a full day to recover from the sleep-deprivation, rushing, crazy kids and of course, the great deal of family fun of Christmas before I take on the laundry, gift assembly, passport location and car cleanout that is required for our annual trip.

Dave worked so hard to try to get us to go on the 27th, but I just couldn't muster any energy. So, we left on the 28th. My mother-in-law cooks a GIGANTIC extended family dinner every year. God bless her (and my father-in-law who is just as hands-on as my dear husband). This year there were 25 of us!

We don't like driving up the same day as the dinner is scheduled (like it was this year on the 28th), but we made it up there in time even though we hit weather and delays as feared. I got to meet my 2 nephews that were born in 2009 who are 10 months and 8 weeks. I fell in love instantly! Of course, I love seeing how big my other nieces and nephews have grown in a year. I also cherish the time we spend with my wonderful and multitude of brothers and sisters-in-law and other family and friends.

Dinner was delicious as always. We all crashed hard and late that night and enjoyed a relaxing couple of days with my in-laws and other family that was in town before we headed back on the 30th.

New Year's Eve involved all of us being couch potatoes as we usually are. Sometimes, we get together with friends, but it's always low-key. This year, we were just us watching movies, eating Chinese food and staying up until midnight. Dave took a nap, the twins fell fast asleep around 10pm and I barely made it, but 4 out of 6 of us enjoyed sparkling juice and then went to bed.

New Year's Day was much of the same relaxing and then today has been a cleanup day. The kids and Dave return to school and work respectively on Monday the 4th. So far, I like 2010 and I'm loving the snowstorm that is lasting all weekend here in New England!

From our family to yours, Happy New Year and have a safe and joyous 2010!