Year End Round Up

The day after Christmas, we were at a birthday party for one of the girls friends. "How was your Christmas?" one of the moms innocently asked. It was if someone suddenly pull-started a lawnmower - my mouth opened and I couldn't or wouldn't stop until the whole nine yards was down. "Shut up!" the voice in my head said. But "Oh, and then....." came out of my mouth.

I remember last year, Christmas 2008, when another friend had exclaimed that spending the holidays with his ex-wife and their two kids and his new boyfriend had been one of the best holidays ever. I tried to wrap my head around the whole idea and was inwardly envious of the sentiment. Last year I was on the mend with a broken arm. The economic meltdown was heating up. We were in debt. Things looked bleak and they weren't slated to get any better anytime soon.

But as I reflect over the past twelve months I have to happily report it didn't get any worse. In fact, it got a whole lot better. Sure the fish died. Yeah, we're still in debt. I still wish everyone would pick up after themselves more - myself included. I think the marriage could use a bit of work in the communication department. Or maybe not. (I've been joking over the past few days that instead of having a midlife crises Erik is going to have a midlife "get it all together".) If it ain't broke - walk a mile in a pair of ten-year-marriage shoes - they aren't exactly comfortable or, come to think of it, fashionable on a daily basis.

The past two weeks have been wrought with nonstop fun and togetherness. There was the amazing trip to Disney for Hazel's birthday. Followed by a Christmas prep week where Erik took one for the team by taking on a freelance project. Christmas eve we went to the gym. Then last minute shopping. Then a church service. Then out to a fancy dinner. On Christmas Day we reserved a Mini Cooper Convertible from ZipCar and tooled around SF like tourists. We hit Tahoe for three days taking the girls skiing for the first time. I carved and shredded my way down the hill without breaking a bone and winning many a X-Game gold medal in my mind. We planned our own New Years Eve Party with balloons, decorations and toddler sized lobsters from Chinatown. Erik played golf and went to the last Raiders game of the season. I squeezed in the solo trip to the movie theatre just before the time ran out of our holiday.

(Here is where I learn to hush, lest I start to sound a bit too braggy and insert camera phone image to prove point)