Happy New Year!

I haven't posted in a while, due to the holiday whirlwind we have been living in! Life is finally slowing down a little as we head into the long winter stretch. January has always been a difficult month for me and since 2007 it has become a particularly hard time. I have a good idea for Sophie's birthday, though, so I'm actually looking forward to it this year--at least, I think I am. We'll see how I feel as it approaches. For now, however, I want to focus on the positive and not let myself get pulled into the hole of sadness that is so easy to get into this time of year. Of course I will let myself be sad when I need to be, but I won't let it consume me, as (truly) it no longer does consume me. Does that sound horrible? Because, to be clear, I still miss her terribly--beyond terribly. I would give just about anything to have her back...but (and?) I am more settled into my life without her than I have been in the past. Wow--the guilt of that statement it amazing. What kind of a mother doesn't sit around and pine for their missing child 24/7????

I know--one who has a reason to get up in the morning--and here they are:



So here we go into 2011! Christmas was amazing and wonderful--full of family and good food and presents. Santa brought the girls the Felicity and Elizabeth American Girl Dolls (the historical ones--from the revolution), so they were in 7th heaven. Erin walked around clutching her doll saying, "I feel so content!" Evan got a cool book with a tractor that drives around a little track and then falls into a pretend pond. He LOVES to wind it up and, as it spins around the track he yells, "SWOW DOWN TAK-TER!!" Megan was delighted by everything--from her new doll to her new charades game...but when asked what her favorite part of the holiday was, she remembered the trolley ride with Grammy and Grampy. She wants that on the agenda again next year.

To start this year off right, we went to Acadia today to ski. Megan hasn't been feeing 100%, so while she skied for a bit, she rode in the sled much of the way. It didn't dampen her spirits, though!


Erin skied the entire way--making snowballs and having a great time. We pushed each other in the snow, raced each other and generally had a great time. She's a fun kid--with fewer teeth than she had yesterday!

Evan rode sitting up in his blue sled much of the way...then he fell asleep so we moved him to the green sled. He was lying down in that sled and Uncle Greg was looking very much like ski patrol pulling an injured baby boy down the mountain. People were definitely looking at us funny!


All in all, a fun day and a fun start to the year! Thank you to Greg and Meg for sharing it with us! We understand that getting to Acadia, finding our starting point and then getting ourselves and three kids dressed appropriately, geared up with boots, skis, poles, hats, gloves, jackets...all borders on comical. We appreciate your willingness to put up with it all!





Happy New Year, everyone!