It's been a whirlwind since August and I don't even know how it became December and the week before Christmas! Let's look back and see how it all happened:
August 2012: This is vacation month for us, we spend the 2 weeks leading up to our trip to the OBX planning, packing and looking for a "better way" to travel there. This year we had our new friends join us and we had a great trip. Since then we have had them to our home several times extending our vacation and planning next year.
September 2012: Well here is is time to go back to school. We get back from vacation and it's over like that...I enjoy the summer schedule with it's long, carefree days of no homework or schedule. But this year, we installed a pool and my son started playing football so we were busy with permits and practices (5 nights a week), so time was tight and dinners late. Once we hit September practices went down to 3 nights a week and a game either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. ***Poof*** September is gone. We also celebrated my Father and Nephews Birthdays with a Brunch that took me 3 weeks to coordinate!
October 2012: Fall is here! We go apple picking on the coldest day of the month and the kids love it! We take our Croatian friends with us and we had a great time. We went back to our house, we drank, we ate, we drank more and enjoyed the company.
I also did the 2 day, 40 mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Oct 20-21st...great experience and another check off my bucket list. It was the most physically challenging this I have ever done, but happy I got the chance to do it!
October is also the month that we were hit with Sandy. We lost power for 10 days, but all in all we were VERY lucky compared to most. Danny and I rode the storm out alone, since Ryan was on Emergency lock down at the hospital for 5 days. We camped in the living room, played lots of scrabble, and kept the fire going for heat. It was nice to spend the days with him, but it also ruined yet another Halloween for us...probably the last one he would have gone out with me.
November 2012: Well the blackout was fun but once the power came back on and we started to get our lives back, our septic pump took a shit (no pun intended) and like that ***Poof*** $1500 to get it pumped and repaired. It took a week, but we are back in business.
Now it's time to start prepping for Thanksgiving! I plan and prep and shop, there are only 5 of us, but over the years my menu has evolved and my parents (who are just back from TN after 3 years) don't like my modifications, so I mix the old and the new so everyone is happy. Well TG morning my father calls, my mother has a stomach bug, "STAY AWAY" is all I'm told. So now I'm cooking at home (YIPEE!!) and I have a 25 Lb bird for 4 people and have to cut back the "modifications"...no point complaining, I had plenty of leftovers for sandwiches and hot lunches for a week!
December 2012: I don't know how we got here, but this is the month my mother has decided to have her knee replaced. Out of nowhere she is seeing doctors and having tests run. she was originally supposed to have this done last Wednesday 12/12/12, but they found something in her blood work and postponed in now until the day after Christmas.
All I want is for it to snow and all it has done here in NJ is rain! Cold, damp rain...been this way since Friday night. I want SNOW, pretty white snow. I want to put a roast in the oven a log on the fire and watch the SNOW fall. I want to yell about wet gloves and wet dog feet from being out in the SNOW.
This is the last week before Christmas break and I cannot wait...Hope it SNOWS!
Oh, I also had my big toe nail removed last week...a causality of the Avon walk. Apparently I had a blood blister under the nail and I let it go too long (ya think?) and it was swelling so the nail had to go! I'm still morning the loss. Never underestimate the power your big toe nail has over your mind.
Well there is my fall/winter in review. I hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Festivis, Happy Kwanzaa...whatever you celebrate enjoy this time with your family and friends.
Amen
XXXOOO
