:: Happy New Year ::

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season.  

We had an incredible time during the holidays.  We spent time with family and close friends - it was such an amazing way to end the year.

We started our December by visiting some friends in San Angelo.  Okay, I NEVER thought I would be saying this... but I really do miss San Angelo.  I spent the better part of my teen years devising a plan to escape that place, but now as an adult, wife and mother - I have seriously considered what it would be like to move back there someday. We have such good friends there and we feel such a connection to the community.  Who knows, maybe someday we'll go back.  Anything is possible.

In San Angelo, Jason had the chance to visit the Old Chicken Farm Art Center, where he lived and worked as an Artist and Art Instructor.  It was nice being able to visit with old friends.  The Chicken Farm is an amazing place, and if you ever have the chance to visit it, you should. Creative people are always entertaining to me, and a bunch of them living and working together is a unique experience.

While we were in San Angelo, we also went to Christmas at Old Fort Concho. Jason and I went every year when we lived there, and hadn't been back in over five years.  The next day we had lunch with some good friends we hadn't seen in years.  You know you have picked great friends when you can go so long without seeing them, and instantly pick up where you left off when you meet up again.  I really miss our friends in San Angelo.  And we are definitely going to visit there more often.  Definitely.  We finished our last night in San Angelo by visiting the house on Hill Street, where Jason asked me to marry him on December 6, 1999.  It's a tiny house with a vacant lot next to it, and every year they put up this amazing Christmas display that you can walk around and explore.  It was one of the first places I took Jason when he moved to San Angelo, and it will always hold a special place in our hearts.

We are at the stage now where we spend Christmas day here at home. Since Ben is all about Santa now, it's important for us be here on such a special day for our son.  Ben and Santa have developed quite a relationship - but that's another blog. We got a call on Christmas Eve morning and found out that my parents were coming for Christmas day. So we had a house full of people (with us, my parents, and my aunt) and I made Christmas dinner.  I know, right? But seriously, I did.  And it wasn't bad.  I was proud of myself.  

The day after Christmas, our good friend, Jeff, came to stay with us for the weekend.  Jeff has been Jason's best friend for, wow, I guess almost 29 years now.  He was also the Best Man in our wedding.  We had a great weekend with him.

The Tuesday before New Year's, we packed up the car and went to see my parents in Dallas.  We had Sushi and champagne for our New Year's Eve dinner and we all stayed up to watch the ball drop.  On New Year's Day, we were invited over to the Haby's home for dinner. (Which, by the way, is Jeff's family, for those of you who didn't know that already).  The Haby's have always been a second family for Jason. We think the world of them.  They are such special people and they are so important to us.  We had such a great time visiting with them.  

The Saturday after New Year's, I decided to kidnap my best friend, Meredith, and take her to lunch and shopping.  She just had a baby, and I thought she could use a nice treat and get away for the day and do girly stuff. Oh, and as far as babies go, her little boy is ADORABLE!  We had a lot of fun that day - except that the line to Sprinkles Cupcakes spilled out the door and was too long for us to wait.  That was kind of sad.  Oh well.  ;)

We had planned on coming home the Monday after New Year's, but Mother Nature decided to drop some ice on the Dallas area, so we had to wait it out another day.  The power even went out at my parents' home.  It was actually kind of exciting.  For about an hour.  Then it got annoying.  Thank goodness it was only out for about two and a half hours.  

So, we are back at home and getting back into our usual grooves.  It's a new year and we are excited about all the new experiences and opportunities we will meet these coming 12 months.  We're ready for a fantastic year.  Hi 2009!!!

I put together a slideshow of our holidays.....

Make a Smilebox slideshow