A Fake Christmas Tree, a New Year and a Case of the Chicken Pox

So it has been a busy/fun/exciting time since I last wrote. Christmas was really nice. I think Jeff really enjoyed it, even with the fake tree. I cleaned up at the day after sales and got ornaments for my Martha tree for next year so we can have a real tree with the family ornies and my strategically decorated fake tree as well - a good compromise I think. Emmy didn't seem to interested in opening presents but she liked Elmo and her Learning House (both from the resale shop, love it!) My dad came on Christmas day and that was nice. It was great to see him.

Our neighbors invited us to their New Year's party which was exciting except we didn't end up going. IEmmy came down with a mild case of the chicken pox from her vaccine. She wasn't too bad but she was crankenstein for a few days.

I went to another play date and even a girls night out ( I think the whole night cost me ten bucks for dinner and a coffee - God bless Omaha!). The women in the group are so fun and diverse. Listening to their stories and their lives I realize that I really have it pretty good. Sometimes various members of my family make me crazy but all in all I am blessed with a family that may be crazy but I know they love me.

The new year is always a good time for me. I think it is because I am a morning person and the new year is like a big long morning. When I first wake up I am so optimistic and the day is filled with such promise. I can just feel all the things I can get done and the errands/chores I can cross off my list. As the day progresses and reality sets in I have less crossed off and less optimism. By evening I am tired and ready for a new day's promise. The new year has that same promise but times 365 - the things I can get done, the new stages for Emelia, the weight I can lose - it is all there in front of me. One of those things to get done is finishing the house. I am eager to paint and hang things so I can finally feel settled. We made a major step towards that yesterday when we got blinds for the downstairs. I can't believe what a difference they make. The installers even hung my curtain rods for free. We got a few new pieces of furniture from the clearance store at the Furniture Mart, which are being delivered today. I can't wait.

The last three days have been really great, between the night out, the blinds and my trip to the gym today I have almost forgotten that it is ridiculously cold and I live in Nebraska. It is supposed to be 46 one day this weekend, maybe 2008 will live up to it's promise.

Here are some pics of Christmas, by the way the baby buggy is just a smaller version of the wagon. I have taken a waffle a pacifier, a dog toy and dollies out of it at various times since she got it.