Happy 2011 | personal

Welcome back blog readers!  I was MIA for a couple weeks, wasn't I?  Well, we had a nice Christmas and New Year break over here.  I'm sorry I didn't exactly announce that it would be that way.  I actually wasn't planning on it to be that way, but it was really nice just to take the time to unwind and spend lots of moments with the family.

It was a very busy Christmas for us this year.  We had two gift exchange nights with Brian's family as well as a major gift exchange Christmas morning with my family.

It wasour best and worst Christmas ever.  It was the best because we decided that, although it's nice to not worry about buying each other gifts and only worry about the kids like we have done for the last few years, it's also kind of sad ... and we didn't need any more sadness this Christmas with mom being gone.

Not having her here with us made it the worst.

So we did our very best to make it as enjoyable as possible.  And each one of us shared something with the rest that mom would have done if she were here.  Her presence through each of us made it the best Christmas it possibly could have been.

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I was able to cook some side dishes that mom and I usually do together to go along with the smoked ham that was so kindly given to dad by one of his good friends.  ...  homemade mac & cheese that my brother always requests, and the stuffing casserole recipe that mom and I created together a few years back, along with the best mashed potatoes I've ever had made by dad, and gravy ....

In between thanksgiving and Christmas my dad was going through slides and film that he hadn't seen in years and ran across this photo that he took of me and mom:

I asked him to print it out for me so I could put it in my kitchen. And somehow, having this photo there with me while I cook has helped to heal whatever pain that had been keeping me out of the kitchen these last few months.

I love having it there.  It makes me feel like she is there with me.

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I received more gifts than I have since I was a kid this year, and I certainly did not feel like I deserved everything that was given to me, but I am so very thankful for each. and. every. thoughtful item that was presented to me.

We also have a new family member :  My sweet Rebel was so very good to me for almost two years.  I love her so and depended on her through so many things, but alas, it was time to move on.  I was really starting to feel her limitations and so ... the new addition.

The Canon 7D

I am so excited to have her, I don't know what to do with myself!  We are going to be great friends, I just know it!

So, yes, a very good Christmas indeed.

I hope that you all enjoyed your holidays as much as we did!

Happy Tuesday!  Happy 2011!!!