Back in the Saddle Again (almost)

Phewww! We had a wonderful Christmas and I have had an even more wonderful week doing absolutely nothing. Acutally I was stricken with a cold on Christmas Eve and have spent the week fighting it off. I think this is the cold I was supposed to have gotten prior to my sinus infection of a couple weeks ago and it was just late showing up. There's nothing like a cold with no sense of timing.

Father Christmas (otherwise known as Santa; I've been reading a book by the best British author ever, Rosamunde Pilcher, and now I'm doing a Gwenyth Paltrow and trying to sound British myself) was kind to all of us this year. He brought Rebecca the American Girl Doll with the purple dress which she has been drooling over for months and months. That would be Felicity, the Revolutionary War era doll. He brought Dave and Sam an XBOX 360 and several games. Have I mentioned that I am changing my name officially to Father Christmas? I haven't watched TV since that XBOX came home - it's a nice change from O'Reilly. I've been

R-E-A-D-I-N-G! You know, that thing I used to do all the time before I had a family? I'm even almost caught up on my Real Simple magazines. I've got some great ideas for next Halloween!

I got a beautiful Pandora charm bracelet with 3 charms that my husband picked up all by himself and I am pretty impressed with him. I love all three of them. I also got a beautiful cherry red cashmere scarf (red is my favorite favorite color) that I would never buy for myself.

My brother John and his girlfriend Dena flew in from Phoenix in time to see the snow on the ground before the rain came and melted it all away. Why oh why couldn't we have a WHITE CHRISTMAS? The only time of the year when I actually pray for snow and I was so sure we were in like flynn this year and then it had to go and rain! Oh well, it was still a lovely time with both my family and Dave's. Gifts aside, we are all happy (at least most of us are) and healthy which are the most important things.

The kids have been with their mom and I have had the house to myself this week to do absolutley nothing! I went 6 days without a shower. Okay, not really, but I did skip a day and let me tell you, it was downright nice to stay in my sweats all day and read and lay on the couch and just in general be lazy.

Before I know it, we will be leaving for Disney World!!!

So here are a few photos for you to enjoy. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Jen, if you are reading this, don't worry, he'll get his - I'll make sure of it.

Here is a picture of my tree, as promised. I think it's crooked. Dave thinks it looks fine, but I can see now that I was right.

Here is my mom's tree. As you can see, her's is slightly more grand than mine.

This was the best family shot, even though my dad cut the top of my head off. Alison! I need you!

This is Guinness enjoying the festivites. He opened his gift early and hence had nothing to do but raid the trash bag full of crumbled up wrapping paper. Based on the look on his face, I think he got into the spiked eggnog too!

Felicity.


And this is my mom's cat, Ally, who is obsessed with any sort of bag and must either get in the bag or lick it to death. She was just chilling in this one on Christmas morning.