Recap

OK, time for a recap of Christmas.

The Sunday before Christmas, the day that we were going to go downtown to the Shedd Aquarium as a family but then decided not to and instead just go to the church service and then come over to our house to watch the Bears game...well...yeah...that didn't play out either.

I really think God tries to teach me, EVERY YEAR, not to expect ANYTHING to go as you expect. I lower my expectations every year, but still, keep being reminded to go with the flow and with the changes and let things fall as they will.

So, we did go to the Christmas service at church, but SIL and her fiance didn't make it because their alarm didn't go off. We were a little bothered by that because it would have been nice to have the whole family together for our first Christmas without FIL. OK...over that. But then, instead of getting together for the Bears game, we just went out for breakfast with MIL and then she went home. OK...over that. It was for the better anyway, it was really snowy and windy and almost like a blizzard out and I really was looking forward to another day to relax and prepare of the Big Day. So, it worked out...but not like I planned in my head at all.

The day turned out nice because we relaxed and was able to get ready for our trip.

Christmas eve and day flew by. I barely remember what happened each of those days...and it wasn't because I was flying high drunk this year either. Nope. Just happened so fast.

Miss J had a blast opening up presents. She was more interested in the packaging and paper than the gift itself. But then after the box envy wore off...the toys were great!! My favorite...Elmo TMX. I am sure most of you know about this one...OMGoodness. The funniest thing you have ever seen. He rolls around and laughs and shakes his hand and kicks his feet. Oh, and the laugh that he puts out after a few times of tickling him...HAAAAA.

She also got a table and chairs, a Cabbage Patch doll that goes in the tub, the Little People Noah's Arc, stuffed animals, books, and lots of clothes. Her play area is now FULL!! Have to go through some of the toys again and put them away. I wish I didn't have to store them, but it would be nice to have them for the next child...which...if things go well...we will be planning on this year sometime!! (story for another time).

Trip to OKC was great. I was so worried about Miss J and how she would do being in a car seat for so long...but...she was an angel. We broke it up into two days down there and two days back. So she was great for ~6-7 hours at a stretch. We stopped at a McD's with a Play center for her to unwind a bit in between, but she would read, play with her toys, we would listen to her music, then she would sleep some. Not really cranky until it was 6pm or so, then we had to stop because she was getting fussy and just wanted to be out.

She was also an angel sleeping in the hotel rooms. We got a suite when we were in OKC so she had her own little section of the room so we didn't have to go to sleep with her at 7pm. She would fall asleep and then we could watch TV or a movie or something. She slept through the night and would wake around 6/7am. Whew...no midnight crying sessions like she had at home. I think her ear infection was the cause of most of that.

Meals were the most difficult because she was more interested in the other people than what was in front of her to eat. She didn't eat great on the trip...but neither did we. Can you really eat healthy when you are traveling?

It was great to see my grandpa...her Great-grandpa an his girlfriend. They are doing good. Don't like their new assisted living home very much...they moved there from Oregon and really like the home they were in there. But, hopefully they will find another one soon. His girlfriends daughter and sil live there, so we met them and had dinner with everyone. It was a great time!!

Now we know we can travel with Miss J...we might decide to take more trips with her. Not sure about the whole airplane thing yet...but...it will grow on us. For now, we will stick to the midwest.

Other than that...back to work. Boring work, but work at that. I wish I had more to do. I really, really feel bad about that.

We are going to take down our tree this week. Pack up all the ornaments and wrapping stuff. Hopefully get some of Miss J's toys rotated and returned (she got duplicates of some). Rotate some of her clothes...get taxes ready...settle back into the house...and get ready for the NEW YEAR.

I don't really have any resolutions. I kind of wrote them off when I stopped keeping them and each year was a list of the same ones. I could reflect on 2007...but that is in the past. It was a good year...could have been better...but that is why there is 2008. Hopefully this will be a year of some happy weddings, family bondings, maybe new additions?!!

I have some pics to post...but haven't been downloaded yet to the computer. This weekend...Miss J took her first trip on a sled in the snow!! She had so much fun!! Got some good pictures.

Gosh, I have so much mish mash stuff to talk about...but of not much interest...so I will head off for the day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!