Holiday Survival

A Belated Happy Holidays to you all (ha, as if there are enough folks reading to say "all"). It has been a whirlwind of a month. We left town last Thursday night to go to Dallas to be with my Mom's side of the family. Friday night was the shindig at her house. I had drawn my cousin's daughter's name and she just LOVED the Snow White dress up outfit that I gave her. She even put it on right over her clothes while she finished unwrapping the rest of her presents. Saturday, her husband's side of the family arrived as we were leaving to go to my HUSband's parents' home.

We arrived at the in-laws home and had a big meal and opened 1/2 of our gifts on Saturday (as is their custom). That night we went to church with his parents and sis and her husband. It was the one year anniversary of his grandmother's death, so not an easy day. I held it together until the singing of Silent Night at the end of the service with everyone holding candles. Was just crying like a baby and had a hard time explaining why. I think it mostly has to do with missing the innocence of standing between my own two parents at my own church growing up... and knowing that it will never be possible again.

Anyway......Sunday morning we opened the other half of the gifts and had a yummy breakfast of Eggs Benedict. I'm picky and don't like eggs when the white and yolk aren't combined, so my egg was scrambled and then put in the poacher thingy. It was sweet of the HUSband and his father to make mine special. Sunday night we went out to the bar in our hometown that we used to go to on a somewhat regular basis. There were some familiar faces and we had a chance to catch up with some old friends. This bar is one that you think never changes, but they've started serving liquor and it even looked like someone might have dusted the ceiling. I guess everything and every place must change at some point. It was still so smokey that I cringed when I took off my clothes to go to bed and again when I picked them up the next morning to pack them.

Monday we finally came back to Austin. But it isn't as simple as it sounds. Sunday, my dad's sister from Baton Rouge and brother from California (and their respective spouses) arrived. Dad's bro has bad knee problems and is staying at our house b/c all of dad's bedrooms are upstairs. I came home to four people hanging out in our office looking at old family photos on the computer. They left soon after we arrived to go back to dad's and give us a bit of relaxation time before we joined them for dinner. More food, more presents on Monday evening, this time with my Dad and his side of the family.

Last night my uncle cooked Arroz con Pollo from their Grandmother's recipe at my house. It was great not to have to cook, but I've left the house this morning with dirty dishes still in the sink. Couldn't run the dishwasher last night because everyone hung around to watch Shrek and it would have been too loud. Then it was too late to run it after everyone left because our bedroom opens up onto the kitchen and the HUSband doesn't like the sound of the dishwasher while trying to sleep.

So, I'm back at work today and heading home soon. I think we're opting out of the Chinese food dinner tonight and going to chill by ourselves. Besides, I have 4 loads of laundry to do since we were out of town and I wasn't caught up before we left.