Whirlwind Holidays

Bael just had her 5th birthday party last Sunday. Somehow I think I managed to pull off about 12 kids bowling happily together, for the most part. I've put up new birthday pictures on here (see left column of pix).

This past month has been a blur, even as we go into the long holiday weekend after Thanksgiving and I was thinking it's no where near over with. It's been Bael's birthday, Thanksgiving, and coming up PRI (Tommy's annual racing conference), Christmas and Colorado, then finally New Years. I don't mean to make the holidays sound like it's a burden or a chore but as I get older I'm beginning to feel that way, and it bums me out. What happened to the excitement? Tommy and I woke up yesterday morning, and I said "It doesn't feel like Thanksgiving to me, does it to you?" No, he answered. It just crept up on us. It just seems to go by faster and faster every year.

This is always a frustrating time of year for me. Tommy's a Bah-humbug and we argue every year on how many decorations he'll have to put up outside and how long he'll have to listen to Christmas music for (I'm one of the few that counts down the days to 97.1FM's month long homage to Christmas music). I'm the total opposite. I love the decorations and the music and just hanging out with friends. I think he'd rather curl up and just sleep through the whole thing (once again where his nickname comes from - think hibernation). But the other reason is because it's what I grew up with. The holidays were and have always been a big thing in our family. And, I want that very much for our kids. The big breakfasts in the morning, running down the stairs to jump in the pile of presents to open, the fire crackling, the hugs hello, catching up with everyone, playing games, the laughter, the lights, the decorations, Santa, everything. Love it. Bael is at that perfect age with Santa where she finally understands the concept and it's just so much fun to see. She asks me constantly if Santa is watching. Now, I just need to figure out how to maintain that in a way that I'm not totally overwhelmed and from a different vantage point.

So, here's best wishes to your families as well as you plow through the holidays and think where did all the fun go. I'm right here with you, wading my way through a new process, new traditions, new memories.