Recap - The Holidays In Review

Can you say whirlwind? Let's do this in bullet form, because if I didn't, I'd probably be here all night.

1 house, completely cleaned. Sheets washed, curtains washed, ironed, rehung, all woodwork scrubbed down, windows sparkling...making way for:

5 houseguests, starting Dec. 23rd and lasting until Dec. 27th, who ate:

about a dozen varieties of homemade cookies, candy and cakes, in addition to:

one huge pan of homemade lasagna, and a crockpot full of chicken parmigiana.

Two little boys, delighted that a combination of Santa and both sets of grandparents brought:

gifts too numerous to count, but included a toy piano for Matthew, a hot wheels racing set for Jonathan, lots of new clothes and books, art supplies, toy cars, and a brand-new Thomas and Friends wooden railway set and train table and the list could go on and on....

At least 4 bottles of wine opened and consumed, making for some very happy adults, as well as...

our new passion - tea! Hot tea, loose tea, tea strainers, rooibus, chai, wow, what fun!! Last year it was cappuccino, this year, tea.

Great weather all around - some cold days, but not too bad. A little icy on Christmas Eve, but it didn't stop me from:

playing my flute and singing with two choirs at two different churches, one at 4pm, one at 10pm. Loved it - also played two other concerts, one on Dec. 14th, the other on Dec. 28th, with two other groups. Totally trying to immerse myself more in Cumberland's music scene, hoping the greater exposure brings me...well, greater exposure!

One trip to the Baltimore area where we stayed for 4 nights, one of those nights partying with:

old friends from where we used to live! What great fun - Happy Hour at the old watering hole, followed by:

a fabulous Thai meal at a cool, hip, Annapolis place called Lemongrass. If you're a local and you like Thai, give it a try - especially the crispy green bean appetizer! And all of this:

without the kids! (Thanks Grandma and Poppy!)

And now? Let's see, one head cold (me), one stomach virus (my mom), more clutter around the house (thank you, Santa) and something new, as of tonight.....

one little boy named Matthew, sound asleep in his big boy bed, instead of his crib! We came home from Grandma's, pulled apart the crib, stashed it in the closet, put up the guardrails we'd bought months ago, and took him into his newly designed room. He looked around, and said "Where is it?" We told him, "It (the crib) went bye-bye, and now you sleep in the big-boy bed." We laid him down, turned out the light and voila.

And keeping our fingers crossed for the rest of the night!

Oh, and before I forget...New Year's Resolutions? Return to eating like we did from July until about the first week in December, when everything went to pot, I started Christmas baking and recall that huge pan of lasagna. Back to the healthy habits, starting tomorrow. And this year? Even more organic, more healthy, more self-sufficient. Hey, maybe we can plant a larger garden this spring, if we could just figure out how to bear-proof it.

And more time with the kids. Since school started, it seems like I've had less and less time - of course it's the busiest time of year, but now that we're heading into the slowest time of year, at least for us, it's time to really start setting aside more time for the boys, nurturing them, playing more with them, taking them cool places. Family is our most valuable asset, and we're so lucky to be so blessed.

So with that in mind, off to do some chores so I won't have to do them in the morning when my little guys are up and around.

Happy 2009 - I wish all peace and happiness!