New Year

Wow, I have thought about posting, and thought about posting... Several times I have even sat down to try and do just that, but guess what, I got really busy. Now the holidays are over and I am determined to get caught up on the mountains of laundry and ironing that have sprung up in my house. This laundry battle has been a slow burn and has been gaining advantage since Beaujolais Nouveau. Now, I am determined to defeat and tame the beast. This has become such an obsession with me that I have made this part of my resolution. Too freaky.

Christmas was really nice, pretty quiet and wonderful. We were just home alone, my parents and us, it was really neat. We were totally spoiled and it was pretty decadent with the gifts and lounging (could this have contributed to the laundry beasts advantage?) At any rate, we certainly enjoyed it. Then we went to Chicago for a couple of days because my husband had to work. Helene is the one who enjoyed this the most because she got an American Girl doll (please no snide remarks) early in December as a reward for her reading progress (she went from K level two years ago to 4.5 grade level this year, it's been quite cool). We got the doll used, from a colleague's daughter who no longer plays with her. So Chicago, the American Girl mecca, was a dream location for my middle child. We took her Samantha doll to the store, where for a mere $15 she got a pony tail put in her head (I am sick!). We also managed to spend an additional $100 on other accessories, but since it was her birthday, it was ok.

We spent New Year's Eve with our great friends Errol and Patty. The kids came and watched tv, and were totally spoiled by Patty. JJ and I were also spoiled and had a wonderful evening talking with friends and drinking some amazing wines and admiring beautiful baby Sabrina. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect new years eve. Seriouslyit was awesome.

The next day my family came to the house to celebrate Christmas (ok so we were a week late) and it was nice. We all got together and broke bread, exchanged gifts and played cards. Could life get any better? Then ofcourse, it was back to work on Tuesday.

JJ and my mom left for France on the 5th. My father is staying with the kids and i until mom returns on the 14th. It has been ok so far, but we are only day two. I remain optimistic, but we'll see. He has not really been keeping to schedule, but that is partly my fault because I have been insisting that the kids and I swim. The mornings are a test of patience, as I am sure my mother knows. The man gets up and it takes him approximately an hour to get his little things done and is ready to prick his finger and then another ten minutes to actually take his shot! Tomorrow I have told Charlotte that she needs to make sure that her grandfather is out of bed a lot earlier than 9:15.

I have to get to work on the New Years cards for my family in France. I did manage to get Christmas cards out to the US side, but I still have about 40 more cards to send across the ocean. Today however, the plans revolve around going to the pool with the kids, taking my nephews (Jon and Dan) with us and enjoying a couple of hours of water fun. Then tonight, well nothing planned. I am sure that Dad will want to watch some hockey, but the kids and I will probably watch a movie. Tomorrow, hopefully the same story. Ofcourse this will be sprinkled with laundry.

JJ's plans today are much more interesting. He is at Karantes with Walt and Jan, Christophe and the consultant, and they are doing the blending for the first vintages. That really is much more exciting and sexier than my lame plans. That's ok, all good things come to those who wait.

more soon I hope