Where To Begin

In a nutshell, 2009 ended with chaos.  In detail we (collectively with my visiting family members) dealt with:  multiple infections (ears & eyes) and therefore ineffective antibiotics, pneumonia, an ER visit, a blizzard & therefore intense ice, Texans who do not know how to drive in/on/near/within 50 ft of snow, a car accident (no injuries, ehh! it was a rental!), delayed flights, Christmas Eve in a hotel, Christmas day by way of blizzard in a car driving 7 hours in what should have taken 2, cancelled flights...hmm, am I missing anything?

So to say that we welcomed 2010 with open arms, is an understatement...or perhaps an entirely mis-statement.  The welcoming of the New Year started with not enough energy to stay up (parents), N8 deciding he was "done" (seriously, I heard him coaxing the dogs to bed & the bedroom door close at 1159p) and my friend, Akiko & I toasting water glasses because we were too lazy to drink anything else.

I'm not sure that it is safe to say the storm has calmed because I've had the biggest runaround trying to organize my classes this semester & my financial aid to go with it (I think all is a GO!, but part of me feels like it can still flop).

This past weekend my friend, Kim, celebrated her birthday & we did it scavenger hunt surprise style!  It was a great time.  It was a great chance for all of our friends to reconnect after the chaos of the holidays.

We had such a wonderful time with my parents, my sister & my zio zio.  We wished their visits weren't so intense with so many twists into Bizarreland, but overall, the food was good & the family was happy to be together.

But now it's January.  I have an absurd number of pictures to go through & I just don't see it happening in a logical & timely fashion, for which, I am bummed.  I hate leaving the blog in a restful state!

I'll do my best, but my classes are now 2 nights a week....

Enjoy this starter~ PopPop=Moneybags!  Onward the tradition of each grandchild taking a "handful" of change from PopPop's moneybag.  He said each time he sees them he will have them take from the bag.  I offered him to leave some of the bag here, so he didn't have to lug it all the way back home...he didn't bite.

And this year, they got piggy banks for Christmas from Grandma & PopPop!

Leona is SOOOO comfortable with the idea of grabbing a handful of moola!  She's only had 1 practice shot, back in Boston this past summer!

Posing with PopPop!

Leona knew exactly what to do!  No instruction necessary.  She was so fast at putting them in the bank, I think Grandma or PopPop felt compelled to give her a couple more.

After a much needed mood-lifter.

We enjoyed the pizza from Chef N8.

We really enjoyed the wine too..

So happy we could all be together!