a very happy new year!

I don't make New Year's resolutions, do you?  I think every day is a chance to make a resolution, set a goal, become a new and/or better you, or start a new life. But I have recently decided that I'm going to try (my very best) to post something here at least once a week from here on out. "Try" being the operative word here.

So what's new? 

The holidays are over.  I love the holidays, but I'm always relieved when it's over.  Although I must say, now that my children are grown, the holidays have become so much more relaxed.  More of a time to reflect, to appreciate time. Time to cook and bake, time to spend with my family, time to relax and just be.  The trip to Paris earlier this fall was part of my gift to my daughters, so Christmas was even more low key than it has been for many years, and I think that really contributed to the relaxed and easy feeling we all had this year.  I've decided that giving the girls an "experience" instead of a new blouse or shoes or jewelry is the way to go. Although I certainly won't be able to take them to Paris every year, I think they would both agree that they remember we have been to see "The Nutcracker Suite" every year since they were really little waaaay more than any "'thing" they've received on Christmas.  It might require a little more creativity on my part, but I think (hope) they'll remember it longer.

Another nice thing that happened this year was that while some in my family have been doing it for a while, this year we all contributed to our favorite charities instead of sending gifts.  We decided that we all have enough stuff. Too much stuff. No one needs any more stuff.  It was so nice opening all the envelopes and seeing where the contributions went.  And I learned a lot about some organizations I hadn't heard of before.

New Years was low key as well.  I did my annual 108 sun salutations in the morning, had a lovely brunch with my fellow yogis, went to a matinee movie, then spent the evening laying on the couch while snacking (finished off all those holiday treats!), reading, and catching a few episodes from the first season of "Parenthood" (which I have a love/hate relationship with - it's about a close knit family that reminds me of my own family in California, and while it reminds me of all the great things about being part of a big, close knit family, it also makes me so homesick and heart broken to be so far away from them.  So I spent much of the time watching with tears in my eyes.) Then I cried a little when I saw Dave Clark.  We watched the ball drop, called our children, then went to bed.  Not much different than most other nights, really.  Except for the weeping.

Our weather has been so mild that this was what my Lady Banks looked like on New Years Day (this is not my actual rose, but it looked like this.  I haven't taken a picture of mine, and if we wait for me to do that I may not post for another month!):

I am off to work now, but I will really be trying to get into a regular posting schedule.  Wish me luck! Hope you are all having a wonderful day.

what I did on my Christmas vacation...

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!" ~  Buddy, "Elf" (the movie)

Christmas Eve (I know, I know, it seems like months ago already, doesn't it?) was spent cooking and baking in the kitchen with my two lovelies:

Pretty cute!

Can you tell these girls are into fashion? This is a snowwoman cookie decorated with a zebra print dress!

Although we missed the rest of the family in California, we had a great time with lots of singing and dancing (mostly by me, while they rolled their eyes). Christmas Eve dinner was Vegetarian lasagna for most of us, Vegan lasagna for one of us, and a beautiful wilted spinach salad with pears for all, and a dessert of toffee-apple pie with (regular and vegan) ice cream.  Yum.

Christmas Day consisted of gift opening (along with oohing and ahhing), a lovely breakfast,  more cooking, eating, singing, dancing, movie watching, many rounds of dominoes, and this:




Relaxing! While wearing the elf slippers my girls gave me a few years ago.  I LOVE them, but only wear them a few days a year!

The day after Christmas one lovely went home and the other consented to stay at our house and watch the dogs and cat for us while we drove up to Maryland, to see the bf's family.  What is normally a 8 1/2 hour trip became a 14 1/2 hour trip because of this:



The first part of the trip was spent on an interstate that hadn't been snowplowed yet (Snowplows? We don't have snowplows in southeastern NC!).  It was one lane down the middle of the interstate, in about 8 inches of fresh  snow, at about 20 miles an hour.  Took us 4 hours to get 100 miles.  We just kept telling ourselves "well, at least we're not traveling with little kids!"



When we finally got to Frostburg, there was a little bit of old snow, but nothing falling, although the thermometer said 18 degrees.  Next morning it said 11 degrees. I can honestly say I have never been in that kind of cold, and I was in no hurry to do so. Needless to say, we spent most of our time indoors, talking, laughing, and playing board games, in the bf's mother's cozy, lovely home. (I have serious house envy for that house! I wish it hadn't felt so...weird to take pictures of it, or I would do a whole post on that house.)  At the end of the week we packed up and went home, a much easier trip than the one going up, and just in time to receive shipment of the bf's Christmas gift to himself:

Maybe I should have "staged" this photo? I am now trying to decide what to do above and behind the TV - any suggestions?

We spent New Years Eve eating fish tacos in front of the above, surrounded by warm and loving (and, judging by the amount of begging going on, starving - just kidding, they're always like that) furbabies, and counting our many blessings this past year.  I know it wasn't an easy year for a lot of people, but for us it was a pretty good one.  Also, I kept annoying the bf by jumping up to stand in front of the tv and say "look how much bigger their heads are than mine!"  It is a big tv.

Although I haven't had time to post, I have been visiting all my favorites and it appears that a good time was had by all, although aren't we always glad when it's over? I've heard many people say that this year was the most relaxed holiday they can remember.  I'm not sure I can put my finger on why it is, but I feel exactly the same way.  It was truly a happy, relaxed time, and when I came back to work and my "normal" life I felt completely rested and recharged.  I'm ready for 2011!  I know I'm late, but Happy New Year!  I wish you all much joy!

**Note:  The reason I haven't posted all this week is because I got a new computer for Christmas (Thanks, Babe!) and it's taken me this long to figure it all out and to get photos uploaded! Hopefully I am now ready to go and will stay on track now!