Hilarity!

I sent a Christmas card to some old family friends who recently moved. I looked them up on Whitepages.com and found their new address, or so I thought. When we went to visit them over the weekend it became clear that I had sent our card to the wrong family. I told the intended family and they thought it was pretty funny, we imagined different scenarios that might ensue. Today I got a Christmas card from the family we don't know. I thought maybe it was a note saying, how cute our card was but they didn't know us but in fact it was just a card, to us from them. I can see it now. "Bill, who are these people?" "I don't know, Mary, you must have met them at one of your library nights! Or maybe they were in your 'how to build a dog scooter' class". Or maybe, Bill it is one of the families that you've been chatting with at the fish market?" "I don't know, I guess we had better send them a card!" And so they did!

It was bright and sunny today and I cleaned the house while Ivy was at school. My work was pleasantly interrupted by a brief outing of lunch and gift-card-redemption with Scott. Ivy and I took the bus home from School which was lovely. We waited in the sun on someone's front stoop as I poured Kefer into her cup for the ride home. I asked her if Kefer was her favorite drink and she said emphatically YES! How cute is that? For those of you who don't know what it is, when you are done looking it up, I feel sure you will agree that any 2 year old that loves it is special indeed.

I am off to bed, the counter is sparkling and I feel really good about it, I know I will enjoy coming down stairs in the morning to the sight of the cleanliness that is now my house! Woo Hoo!

Christmas

This year we celebrated three Christmases. Number one was with Scott's dad, his new wife, and great aunt Ruth. It was merry and fresh and new to us. New house for them, new tradition (with the new wife) there was a menorah this year which I am thrilled about! The meal was wonderful and the menu was varied and interesting, casseroles seeming to be Judie's specialty. The present-opening was fun for Ivy as she got the doll stroller she has been wanting for many months. The only drawback was that we were not on toddler time, nor on 90 year old time and the evening wrapped up around 10. On to my parent's house.
Christmas eve saw singing Christmas carols to the cows in the barn of a local friend. Ivy loved it, she petted the cows and noticed their soft warmth. She loved watching them drink together and marveled at the amount that they pee. Christmas morning brought more presents for Ivy but by now she was over the unwrapping thing. Sausage and Stolen breakfast and then an early nap to prepare for Christmas number 3. After (or rather in the middle of) nap we went to Scott's mom's house which I was dreading. We had an incident two years ago which involved me yelling at her and storming out of the house. The good news is that it was not repeated and things went off without a hitch. I cooked the sides to her specifications, Scott cooked the 14 pound turkey for himself and we had a quick but enjoyable dinner followed by no dessert because the oven conked out while cooking the turkey and had no more oomph to warm a pie. We raced back to try to catch a glimpse of my Canada cousins and arrived just as they were leaving my parents. I guess a glimpse of them is better than nothing. I have very cool cousins all around me. First, Second, Third, Second Cousins twice removed, so lucky!

Ivy and I spent the next couple of days with my family while Scott busily finished house #2 which I heard just sold mere moments ago. It is delightful to be out in the country with those who I am closest to, but I think the craziness took a toll on Ivy and we limped home yesterday afternoon. After a night in our own beds we are ready to take on what lies ahead. With only one day of School this week I need to get ready for a New year's gathering, pack for three for a nine day cruise and ready the house for a house sitter. It can be done, I know it, because it HAS to!

Here are my hopes for next year while I am thinking about them. Pregnancy resulting in healthy baby. A little income... oh heck, a lot of income! A fantastic start to an amazing Presidency. Pants that fit. A clean Kitchen before bed every night and a sunny attitude every morning. Creating memories with friends abroad and close to home. Having family time with Scott and Ivy and me, learning how to be a unit instead of sharing parenting responsibility as if it is a relay race. How about you?