Women In Hot Water

One of my very favorite weekends of the year....

Gratitude Overflowing

The holiday season was oh so busy, but so worth it.  I feel like we squeezed every last drop of joy and togetherness out of it.  I'm still reeling from all the loveliness....

We were so happy to host the 2nd annual neighborhood holiday pajama breakfast.  This event, perhaps more than any other, makes me feel so thankful for the people in our lives.  We ate and drank, watched Christmas movies, and snuggled our kids.  As we lazed around on the couches and floor, in our comfiest clothes, I looked around the room and just thought to myself how very lucky we are to have randomly landed in this neighborhood of people who have become some of our very closest friends. And then we ate more bacon.

For the first time since I've known Brian, we were home together on Christmas Eve.  Knowing that we had some busy times ahead of us, knowing that although family gatherings are lovely, they can also be stressful and frustrating at times, I started my Christmas Eve celebration with a beautiful solitary walk.  I breathed deeply, I thought about all I had to be thankful for, and I set some intentions for myself about how I wanted to feel and act during the coming celebrations.  I thought about maintaining control with my eating, I thought about listening more than talking, and I thought about being patient and loving with my family members. 

 

And then I headed home to my loving family, and settled in to celebrate in our own special way.  

After a quiet Christmas morning at home, we moved on to Denver for a beautifully relaxing day with Brian's family.  The day was so lovely because it was so calm, restful, and we really had a chance to visit and connect. And this has been the first year that Sadie and her cousin Elias were both old enough to really enjoy each other...it was the best thing ever to see them playing together and being silly.

After a quick day of work, and a family day for running errands and squeezing in a viewing of Disney's Frozen, we packed up the car and headed to my parents' house for the weekend.  I went into the weekend with a wish list which included playing cards, watching christmas movies, hot tubbing, walking in the woods, reading, napping, playing my mandolin, and drinking beer. 

Done.  Crossed all those things and more off my list...it was such a good weekend of connection with my family.  Oh how I love them..and absolutely cherish nothing more than when we're all together in the mountains in front of my favorite fireplace of all.

We left my parents house and made our way to the Peterson cabin and settled in for the rest of 2013!  We loved having one more night with Brian's parents, and even had a sledding party the next morning before they headed home.  We spent a peaceful day with just the three of us.  We played and napped and I cooked up a storm preparing for our New Year's Eve festivities.  We anxiously waited for our dear friends to arrive and got ready for all the fun to come.  As soon as they were unpacked and settled, we got right to playing tunes, painting faces, eating, drinking, singing, dancing, and laughing. 

What a perfectly, perfect way to end the year...surrounded by beautiful children, good friends, cooking, eating, and drinking delicious creations, and playing fiddle tunes!  I am SO filled up with love and joy and thankfulness for all the beauty in our lives.  How on earth can we be so unbelievably lucky? 

Florida in Photos

 Finally a family photo session.  We have so few of these pictures....

 Down time with my parents at the beach...



 
Cousins on the Gulf of Mexico.  Just like my cousins and I thirty years ago.  I so treasure that our children are now making these memories together....

 

Dinner at Crabby Bill's, of course.  And Sadie was the one man band's BIGGEST FAN EVER.  She danced up there in front of him all alone. 

  

Visiting with old friends who don't live so close anymore...making up for lost time.

A perfectly lovely Thanksgiving day.  It started with a very cold run for the annual family 5K.  But it sure felt good to run (and good to run at sea level!)  

The Thanksgiving table at my Aunt Cathy's house was gorgeous as always, and I am so thankful that she makes it possible for the entire family (nearly 40 of us) to actually sit down together. Such an amazing feat, but so worth it!

 

We celebrated Chanukah together for the first time in more than a decade! 

 A visit to the Florida Aquarium...

 Late nights with my cousins...Hunger Games movie, beer pong, movies, chatting, Trader Joe's snack explosion.  Oh how I wish we all lived closer so that we could do this more often.  I have so much fun, laugh so hard, feel so comfortable and safe and happy when I'm with my cousins, my brother, and all the spouses who've become a part of the family.  It makes me so sad when this trip comes to an end every year. 

 And of course...watching this next generation make their own memories, and follow in their mamas' footsteps is the best thing ever....