Another Year Soon Done

Unbelievably, we are done with another Christmas and soon we will meet another New Year.  It's been awhile since I last posted.  Weird how some things change in importance.

We decorated the tree and the house.

We spent the days leading up to Christmas cleaning the house in a way it hasn't been cleaned for quite some time.  We did not overdo it, but we made good progress each day.

The annual dog torture was inflicted.

We chased down Santa Claus and his roving Christmas Trucks...
  

We baked cookies...well, Cora and Chloe did...

but we ALL decorated them!

We were able to spend Christmas Eve with the in-laws celebrating Cora's sisters' birthday and Christmas.

Then we had a nice quiet Christmas morning at home and then Papa and Nana came over for Christmas dinner.  We spent a couple lazy days not doing much, apart from taking in a movie with Chloe. 

We went and saw Frozen!  She really liked it.  Among my favorite parts was when the heroine got frozen, Chloe's reaction was visible and audible.  It was proof she was invested in the movie.  Then, once, when she had to use the bathroom she was full of anguish because she did not want to miss the movie and said so, quite audibly!  I loved it when she asked if she was being good, when Cora confirmed it, she then asked if we could take her to another movie.

We spent Friday at home with an official Pajama Day.

Finally, Yesterday, we cleaned a little and then went to celebrate our Christmas with my family.  We bought the Pixar Planes DVD for my Nephews and then we got each of the boys a Planes' character.  They were a real hit.

Apparently, the pinnacle of Chloe's night was getting to hold her youngest cousin.  Isaac, born in November!

Cora took the week off from work and I, of course, have it off because of school.  It has been really nice being home as a family.  Cora goes back to work tomorrow and I know it won't be nearly as fun as it has been.  I'll probably try to get some work done on the accursed bathroom.

That will be my New Year's Resolution.  To finally finish that damned bathroom.  Considering I started in march, it's kind of a joke.  My re-modelling abilities, that is.  I suppose it isn't so much that I'm not able to do it, but more of a "Do I want to spend the next couple hours doing something that will be easily cleaned up, or do I want to make one tiny step in that damned bathroom and home I can clean up before I have to leave again?"  There is also the fun value.  It's much more fun to take Chloe to the park than to bury myself in the bathroom.  So, we know which decision gets made more often than not.

As the New Year closes in, many people like to look back.  I like that, but that will be for another post.  Today, I'm looking forward.  I'm proud to be a member of a most wonderful family.  Every day is a magical mystery tour, and I love every one of them.  I wish time would slow down so I could appreciate them more.  Instead, time seems to be speeding up.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Thanks

I had the honor of enjoying three Thanksgivings.  One was at my parents, one was just the three of us, and the last was with my in-laws.  All three gave us time to be with the family and things to be thankful for.

Today, I have to look toward the coming week and finding jobs.  We are also going to dig out our decorations and start decorating.

Given a few minutes to reflect, I am thankful for many things.  Top most on my list of things I am thankful for are as follows:

1.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be father to the most amazing little girl the world has seen.  She tackles life at full speed with an optimism and compassion that is intriguing in one so young.  Her great intelligence and desire to learn is joyous.  I continue to fall in love with this little girl every day.  Every time she runs to me and hugs me my heart melts.

2.  I am thankful for my exceptionally caring and lovely wife.  She works every day and despite being away from home considerably longer than me each day, she manages to spend quality time with her daughter, and even me, each day.  She is generous and caring.  Sometimes she cares too much and does more for others and forgets to do things for herself.  She is truly a wonderful person and I can not think of anyone I would rather share my life with.  She encourages me when I am down and is sometimes what keeps me going.  I am in love with this gorgeous creature and cannot believe my good fortune.

3.  Our small family is not only the best family I have ever been in, it is simply the best!

The rest just falls into place, and, for that, I am thankful too.