Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy 2013

Happy New Year! Here's hoping for a wonderful year for everyone filled with love, laughter, and joy. Around here, we're wishing for all the fun of 2012 minus the bad parts. And we did have fun- we went to San Francisco for the first time, The Eldest finished her first two years of college, The Wild Child made incredible strides with his reading, and we were able to go to North Carolina to see my family. All really great things, along with all the regular, day to day great things.

And now it's off to bed, to start the year off with a good night's sleep.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!!

It's been a mixed bag this holiday season, but in spite of the disasters the actual holidays themselves have been very special. We got to spend Thanksgiving with my mom and her side of the family, then Christmas Eve with just the 5 of us here at home, then for Christmas Day brunch my brother drove my dad over to hang out for a few hours. We cooked some amazing food (I'm never going to work off the calories!!) and had a great time with loved ones. We were also able to get together with friends a few times during the month; we are truly blessed.

I'm hoping for a 2013 with just as much good stuff as 2012, but without all the bad things that happened!! I'm also wishing the same for you and yours- Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, and a Happy New Year!!



My dad, my brother, Martha Jr., and DH waiting to eat Christmas brunch. (The Wild Child and The Eldest were milling around somewhere; I was behind the camera.)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

When it Rains...

It really pours!!

It's been a run of bad luck around here for the past few weeks, but it all falls in the "could be worse" category. The Eldest wrecked her car thanks to a police officer running a red light (the car was a complete loss but no one was hurt) as we were leaving for a visit to my mom several states away, then she wrecked DH's car a mere 11 days later (once again no one was hurt and DH's car is fixable). As if that weren't enough, DH turned soccer into a contact sport and broke his hand last weekend and had to have out patient surgery on Wednesday. (But he's right handed and he injured his left hand.) A day or two before the soccer game we received 4 notices from our home owner's association about work we have to do around the house including pressure washing the roof and painting. It's all stuff we needed to do but I was hoping to wait until after the holidays; no such luck, they want it done in 30 days or less. That means I'm driving The Eldest to classes, orchestrating our schedule around surgery, fighting with the car insurance company, dealing with contractors about the work around the house, and trying to get ready for the holidays all at once.

Sigh...

I guess it all comes under the heading "first world problems", but put it all together and it makes for a stressful few weeks.

On the positive side, for those of you who hate cheerful holiday newsletters, I can put together a doozy of mournful letter this year!

Here are before and after pics of the house: