Some Thoughts As We Wrap up 2013

I love the week between Christmas and New Year's. It is super relaxing and chill. Like some kind of bizarre time warp. We've been playing games and doing puzzles and generally lazing around. I love it.

This year, I've felt more scattered than ever before. Mark has caught me looking up "early Alzheimer's" and insists I don't have it.

I want to write more and blog more next year. I really, really do.

I feel behind on so many things (emails, blogs, paperwork, work stuff, family stuff, school stuff, personal stuff . . . you get the idea), but also ready to tackle projects as the new year starts.

Our best friends moving here has been one of the most wonderful highlights of this year. I can't begin to describe how great it is.

We couldn't wrap up this year without another plumbing incident. As we speak, water is dripping into a bucket and we await the plumber. Again.

Those friends I mentioned? They came by tonight with a pot of homemade potato-leek soup and bread for us, as well as paper bowls and plastic spoons (knowing about our plumbing issue). Awesome.

Our son's birthday is a few days into every new year, so when you're Christmas shopping, you're also thinking ahead and shopping for that. It's tricky business!

We love celebrating New Year's and go all out with food and fun. Then on the 2nd of January, we take down ALL Christmas decorations. Then, it's all about him. I love birthdays.

Most of the time I think I'm a really great friend, but sometimes I think it must be difficult for people to be friends with someone with anxiety/depression. It's kind of my friends to call my neuroses "quirks." This year has been rough in the anxiety department for some reason. I don't know why.

Six years ago at this time, I was keeping watch at my father's bedside as he lay dying. We were three hours from the time he'd look at us one more time before he passed away. It's hard not to think of that every year at this time. I miss him.

I got one of the sweetest texts ever today from my dear friend. It says: "My son is morphing into a mini-Max. Thanks for raising a boy we're proud to have our boy imitate." I cried and saved the text.

I feel so grateful for my family. Mark and I feel so ridiculously lucky in the kid department. I'm also beginning to feel a sense of urgency as the years fly by and they keep getting older and growing up.

(Wow. 13 Thoughts. I didn't even do that on purpose.)

Happy Anniversary!

17 years ago I married my best friend, and it has been the most wonderful 17 years of my life.

Happy anniversary!

I love you, Littlemiss!

(Now everyone scroll down and read the post she put up last night. It's really fun.)

Holiday Cheer

First off, go to The Magic Violinist's blog for some crazy good news - I'm so out-of-my-mind proud of her! I'm not one bit surprised, even though I am continually amazed. (Seriously, go look. Then come back here. Then go look again, because it's big!).

I'm hoping this can be the yin to the previous post's "Bah Humbug" yang. I'm not going to lie - this has been yet another stressful week. It hasn't been nearly as bad as this past week, but we've been rather stressed and busy trying to clean up the mess from everything that went haywire this past week (writing an email to the parents of the kids who were here the night stuff got stolen, the plumber calling to tell us the bill would be more than he initially said due to a mixed calculation, the floors in the kitchen being buckled from the damage, etc.) on top of the normal, constant, steady stream of things to do (and things on which I'm not keeping up very well).

Case in point - I got an email from someone trying to get a hold of me with not 1, not 2, but *3* follow-ups saying, "I know you're busy, but if you could please call me, I'll only take a few minutes of your time." Multiply that by about 47 people probably feeling the same way about me right now, and you have some idea how I'm faring. LOSING. MY. MIND.

That being said, it's the holidays. And I'm not scattered because it's the holidays. I love the holidays! I'm scattered, because I'm scattered. I've really been struggling this year with remembering things or staying on top of things or being focused. Like really struggling. I can't decide if this is just normal as your kids get older and things get busier, or if I've got something diagnosably wrong with me (ADD much?).

So I'm quickly posting a bunch of pictures from this past month to help spread a bit of holiday cheer and, again, I hope that allowing myself to take a few minutes to write will help clear my head a bit. Plus, you know, part of parenting is keeping the magic of Christmas wonderful for your kids. Enjoy!

Set for Thanksgiving

A wonderful dinner and holiday with friends

Thing 1 entertaining with stories

Thing 2 captivating with adventure games

Scout ready to decorate!

See?

My elf helping me make toffee

Christmas "Crack"

My beautiful family

Happy Holidays!

Me with two of my very favorite people

I took this one upside down - naughty puppy eating Santa hat!

Three of my very favorite people!

Didn't even need mistletoe for this one

My favorite dog!

NaNoWriMo winners!

BFFs make Marshmallow Snowmen together

Percy!

Reading Bedtime Christmas Stories

A fresh canvas of snow

Sledding with friends!

Christmas treats from Grammy/Linda

Wrapping Presents

Christmas Wrapping!

12 Days of Stories

Presents to deliver and mail

Christmas Concert

The Magic Violinist :)

Violin-playing friends

BFFs at Chocolate World

BFFs at Chocolate World

Guy Love

How absolutely adorable are they?!?

And Handsome Boys!

Me and my best friend, partner, and soulmate

Festive Scout

MERRY CHRISTMAS!