It's been a few months since I last posted.
Very long and busy months with lots of family (LOTS of family!) and more socializing than my little introverted self finds enjoyable. But that's just how the holidays are and I do my best to except them and enjoy them for that.
2014's Thanksgiving and Christmas I had people from my family visiting us here in the tundra. My brother and his wife and my adorable niece were here for Thanksgiving. It was a very cold week and they got a good taste of what living in a Minnesota winter is like. I didn't really want them to have to deal with car troubles in -10 weather, but at the same time I thought it was kinda of good. They have been talking about possible moving out here, which I would love, but I would hate for them to get here and not know what -10 feels like. It was a great week with lots of talking, the kids played so hard all four of them had a nervous breakdown at one point or another during the week and we were all happy, but exhausted by the end of it. I am so glad they came and finally got to see where we live.
After their visit we had a few whirlwind weeks of working the Christmas shop. I myself don't actually work in the shop but DH and our daughter do on the weekends. It's several rather topsy-turvy weeks where you celebrate Mondays as a day of rest and dread the weekend because that's when you work the hardest. It's always a little strange. But this year was a good one for the shop. Lots of visitors. At one point we ran out of trees in the greenhouse and another we ran out of all our food and drinks. Every Saturday was nice and the Sundays weren't so much. but all in all it was a good year for Christmas.
A week and a half ago my Mom arrived by train from Oregon. She came to spend Christmas with us. It was great to have her here. Spend time talking over a cup of coffee (tea took quite a break with the seasonal chaos), wrapping presents, watching the kids excitement, playing games, cooking and even cleaning. It was nice to have her around. We celebrated Christmas at least 3 times. It was rather exhausting. The kids got sick the weekend after Christmas with a flu, which fortunately passed quickly but resulted in me being greatly deprived of sleep that whole weekend. DH had an interview on Monday for a graphic designing job (which he got!) and we are super excited for him.
Mom left yesterday for Costa Rica. I spent the morning shopping by myself (probably the best Christmas gift ever) and then we spent the remainder of the day playing games, visiting DH's folks, watching movies, and eating yummy foods. Amazingly my 4 year old stayed up until 11 and the other two made it all the way to midnight. This was the first year we let them stay up and they had a good time.
2014 was a full year. Intense in the extreme. A great learning year and a year which really showed me what is important to me. Family, friends, keeping myself busy, knowing when to say "no," health, love, fun, and believing in myself. I say it was "a hell of a year," which it was. But it gave me perspective, which I am always eternally grateful. My Dad use to say, "What does not kill us makes us stranger." I know it's not his saying, (came from Conan or something) but I feel it's been helpful this year. I have a positive outlook for 2015. I'm sure it will have it's moments, but I'm ready for it and looking forward to all the adventures that will come our way.
Very long and busy months with lots of family (LOTS of family!) and more socializing than my little introverted self finds enjoyable. But that's just how the holidays are and I do my best to except them and enjoy them for that.
2014's Thanksgiving and Christmas I had people from my family visiting us here in the tundra. My brother and his wife and my adorable niece were here for Thanksgiving. It was a very cold week and they got a good taste of what living in a Minnesota winter is like. I didn't really want them to have to deal with car troubles in -10 weather, but at the same time I thought it was kinda of good. They have been talking about possible moving out here, which I would love, but I would hate for them to get here and not know what -10 feels like. It was a great week with lots of talking, the kids played so hard all four of them had a nervous breakdown at one point or another during the week and we were all happy, but exhausted by the end of it. I am so glad they came and finally got to see where we live.
After their visit we had a few whirlwind weeks of working the Christmas shop. I myself don't actually work in the shop but DH and our daughter do on the weekends. It's several rather topsy-turvy weeks where you celebrate Mondays as a day of rest and dread the weekend because that's when you work the hardest. It's always a little strange. But this year was a good one for the shop. Lots of visitors. At one point we ran out of trees in the greenhouse and another we ran out of all our food and drinks. Every Saturday was nice and the Sundays weren't so much. but all in all it was a good year for Christmas.
A week and a half ago my Mom arrived by train from Oregon. She came to spend Christmas with us. It was great to have her here. Spend time talking over a cup of coffee (tea took quite a break with the seasonal chaos), wrapping presents, watching the kids excitement, playing games, cooking and even cleaning. It was nice to have her around. We celebrated Christmas at least 3 times. It was rather exhausting. The kids got sick the weekend after Christmas with a flu, which fortunately passed quickly but resulted in me being greatly deprived of sleep that whole weekend. DH had an interview on Monday for a graphic designing job (which he got!) and we are super excited for him.
Mom left yesterday for Costa Rica. I spent the morning shopping by myself (probably the best Christmas gift ever) and then we spent the remainder of the day playing games, visiting DH's folks, watching movies, and eating yummy foods. Amazingly my 4 year old stayed up until 11 and the other two made it all the way to midnight. This was the first year we let them stay up and they had a good time.
2014 was a full year. Intense in the extreme. A great learning year and a year which really showed me what is important to me. Family, friends, keeping myself busy, knowing when to say "no," health, love, fun, and believing in myself. I say it was "a hell of a year," which it was. But it gave me perspective, which I am always eternally grateful. My Dad use to say, "What does not kill us makes us stranger." I know it's not his saying, (came from Conan or something) but I feel it's been helpful this year. I have a positive outlook for 2015. I'm sure it will have it's moments, but I'm ready for it and looking forward to all the adventures that will come our way.
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