What can I say? It was December.
Not only are there two holidays obnoxiously and uncaringly crowding their way into the end of the month, but I work for a company that took part in 54 events just in December. I also didn't get a big enough head start on Christmas gifts, so I ended up making at least 7 different handmade gifts in the span of a month.
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| Just a few things I made. |
I made 33 dozen Christmas cookies, a pie, and a tart. And? I had my own Christmas parties to go to.
All this is to say... I have reasons why I didn't blog. Maybe not the best of reasons, but reasons nonetheless.
But.
It's a new year (with the same old me), and I suppose it's time to climb back on the horse.
So.
The year is already off to a bit of a rough start (literally). I slashed open my own tire on New Year's Day by somehow hitting an incredibly jagged edge to a curb. It wasn't fair. The only reason I was pulling over was so I could type an address into my phone safely instead of while I was driving. See where that got me?
Then last night, my dog tried to eat several of my new pins. This is after he ate a whole packet of ham and the Reese's trees I got in my stocking the week before. An attempt was also made on a box of chocolates, but I retrieved it from the dragon's horde inside his crate. He is, remarkably, not buried in the back yard yet. But it may only be a matter of time.
Jumping back to Christmas itself. I was in an astonishingly bad mood for most of the week of Christmas. I was stressed and frustrated, people were being stupid, Mark was working ridiculous hours, and I had lost whatever Christmas spirit I usually manage to find by the week before Christmas. All the spirit I had left went into a week's worth of Christmas outfits, with strong showings by what I started referring to as my "officially pin of Christmas," a candy cane pin that came free from La Vidriola when I ordered that amazing Christmas tree/car necklace in the second picture on the top.
But Christmas? Christmas itself was very good. I spent Christmas Eve devouring ribs and hanging out with Casey and her family. I got up early on Christmas and drove to Mark's parents house for what was probably one of the most special Christmas mornings I've had in a while. We opened presents with the two of us, Kaylee, Mark's parents, and Mark's sister (and her husband and daughter). I've never had such a big Christmas morning, or seen so many presents all in one place. There was a stocking for me. There were presents for me. And Kaylee was so, so excited about every single thing she got, including the Snoopy scarf I made for her. I'm not going to lie; that made me so very thrilled.
Later, Mark and I went to my parents and had Christmas dinner with the usual suspects there. We had a pleasant time occupying our traditional place as the oldest people at the kids' table, giving my parents their gifts, and eating far too many desserts before heading home for an early night and a day off together the next day.
Honestly, I'm not sure I'm recovered from the holidays yet. I'm definitely not back on my usual schedule, the apartment is still a disaster zone, and I'm a few weeks behind on putting away laundry. In other words? Holidays as usual.
I have the best of intentions for 2017. I always do. So I'm trying to ignore the very little bit of bad that's already happened and count my blessings.
2016 was, in many ways, a rough year. It started out with my furnace, dryer, and car all breaking down in the same week. But, I also traveled to Mexico with friends, got a raise at my job, and got engaged to my best friend/love of my life. I had wonderful holidays, lots of parties and dinners with friends, a better relationship with my parents, weekend trips, and more happiness than I ever thought I would have.
I could complain, but why bother? There's so much good to focus on instead.
All this is to say... I have reasons why I didn't blog. Maybe not the best of reasons, but reasons nonetheless.
But.
It's a new year (with the same old me), and I suppose it's time to climb back on the horse.
So.
The year is already off to a bit of a rough start (literally). I slashed open my own tire on New Year's Day by somehow hitting an incredibly jagged edge to a curb. It wasn't fair. The only reason I was pulling over was so I could type an address into my phone safely instead of while I was driving. See where that got me?
Then last night, my dog tried to eat several of my new pins. This is after he ate a whole packet of ham and the Reese's trees I got in my stocking the week before. An attempt was also made on a box of chocolates, but I retrieved it from the dragon's horde inside his crate. He is, remarkably, not buried in the back yard yet. But it may only be a matter of time.
Jumping back to Christmas itself. I was in an astonishingly bad mood for most of the week of Christmas. I was stressed and frustrated, people were being stupid, Mark was working ridiculous hours, and I had lost whatever Christmas spirit I usually manage to find by the week before Christmas. All the spirit I had left went into a week's worth of Christmas outfits, with strong showings by what I started referring to as my "officially pin of Christmas," a candy cane pin that came free from La Vidriola when I ordered that amazing Christmas tree/car necklace in the second picture on the top.
But Christmas? Christmas itself was very good. I spent Christmas Eve devouring ribs and hanging out with Casey and her family. I got up early on Christmas and drove to Mark's parents house for what was probably one of the most special Christmas mornings I've had in a while. We opened presents with the two of us, Kaylee, Mark's parents, and Mark's sister (and her husband and daughter). I've never had such a big Christmas morning, or seen so many presents all in one place. There was a stocking for me. There were presents for me. And Kaylee was so, so excited about every single thing she got, including the Snoopy scarf I made for her. I'm not going to lie; that made me so very thrilled.
Later, Mark and I went to my parents and had Christmas dinner with the usual suspects there. We had a pleasant time occupying our traditional place as the oldest people at the kids' table, giving my parents their gifts, and eating far too many desserts before heading home for an early night and a day off together the next day.
Honestly, I'm not sure I'm recovered from the holidays yet. I'm definitely not back on my usual schedule, the apartment is still a disaster zone, and I'm a few weeks behind on putting away laundry. In other words? Holidays as usual.
I have the best of intentions for 2017. I always do. So I'm trying to ignore the very little bit of bad that's already happened and count my blessings.
2016 was, in many ways, a rough year. It started out with my furnace, dryer, and car all breaking down in the same week. But, I also traveled to Mexico with friends, got a raise at my job, and got engaged to my best friend/love of my life. I had wonderful holidays, lots of parties and dinners with friends, a better relationship with my parents, weekend trips, and more happiness than I ever thought I would have.
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| Evidence of a very good 2016. |
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