Now that the holidays are over, and the new year is underway, I’m able to relax a bit (without feeling guilty about doing so).I’m relieved that the holidays are over – it was a really exhausting stretch this year. B’s busiest time of year is always between Thanksgiving and the New Year (hello, retail!), so to make it through the month with our sanity in tact, we usually just stick to the system that works for us. And by system I really just mean that I pick up some of the slack for a while. In turn, she has to go along with whatever crazy plans and projects I come up with. I muster up enough holiday spirit for the both of us and eventually infect her with my enthusiasm. It’s worked out pretty well for us the last few years. This year, though, not so much.
Problem this year was that I too was crazy busy at work during the same time, rolling out a project I’ve been working on for two years (!). Needless to say, we were both exhausted, and the normal holiday things just didn’t happen. I was tired and stressed out, and just couldn’t get into the spirit. I felt bad that the apartment was a mess, wasn’t decorated, and didn’t feel festive at all. I put in a valiant last-ditch effort and had a few successes. I think the wrapping turned out really nice, and I fully decorated the mantle and hung our stockings.
By the 23rd, I’d made progress, but it still didn’t feel like Christmas without a tree, so I went out and got one while B was at work. I’d planned to just get a little table-top one and call it good, but the smallest tree I could find was about 5′. So what did I do? I bought it anyway. A la Dr. Seuss, I somehow found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two – I shoved it in the back of the Jeep, drove it home, managed to get it up the back stairs, into the house, into the tree stand, and strung up with lights before she got out of work. How that happened, I still don’t quite understand. It was pretty and twinkle-y, albeit bare. We never got around to decorating it, except for the 2012 ornament I bought this year.
I didn’t get to everything I wanted to, and it wasn’t perfect, but you know what? It didn’t matter. We spent Christmas morning together, at home, in our pajamas, and just enjoyed the moment and each other’s company. Oh, and napped. We all did a lot of napping.
Leroy helping wrap presents.
Fred, obsessed with the raffia!
The Mantle (a.k.a. the only decorating I actually finished)
Stockings for Bit, Fred and Lee
Cat in a Hat
Lots of cuddle time with mommy.
Vacation is for napping, right?
Bit rocking her super cute Santa suit (Thanks Grampy! Love, your grand-dog-her)
Oh crap, they saw us!
Femme in the Suburbs 