Holiday Roundup

I have the post Christmas Blues... More so this year than most. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I really don't have any exciting plans for 2010. But I can't complain, I live a pretty great life day in and day out.

This year for Christmas we were able to go up to Northern California to spend time with Adam's parents and pay a few visits to my sister and her family as well. Adam's brother and sister were tromping around Europe over the break and we missed them, but know they had and are still having a great time!

We drove up on Christmas Eve and went to San Mateo to spend the day with my two sisters and Julie's little ones. We went to the park, baked cookies, and played some Wii. Adam's parents joined us for dinner there and the festivities were full of fun, laughter and food.

Adam and me with Mia, Kai and Noah after they opened their Christmas PJs

Kai and Noah monkeying around at the park

I had been developing a terrible cold and cough this whole time, but I am not the type that stays down when I'm sick. I just try to push through it and act like everything is normal. Well I think I may have over done it Christmas Eve. I coughed and coughed all night, I don't think I slept more that an hour or two, only to wake up to more terrible coughing and a throat that was so swollen I could have sworn it was Strep throat or something. Not only that but I was having a really hard time breathing. Things got so bad, Adam and I decided I should probably go to the Dr. Well being out of town and having an HMO and it being Christmas, we ended up having to just go to the ER, which took a while. But I got there and they checked for strep and what not, but that wasn't the case, it was just a virus. They did give me a nebulizer breathing treatment so I could breathe a littler easier and prescribed me with an inhaler and some cough syrup with codeine.

In the waiting room -they made me wear a mask in case it was H1N1

We made it back home by about 10:30am and we opened presents and I drank a lot of tea. Adam and I were spoiled this year and got more than we could have asked for, including a massage chair pad, which I love (thanks Mom and Dad), tickets to see Lion King on Broadway (it's not til May, but hey that's something to look forward to!), books, tools, clothes, and Adam's mom even made me two of the cutest aprons ever! We're so lucky to have such wonderful families that love us so much. The rest of the day included me resting, although we do go on a short walk because it was such a beautiful day, getting a puzzle done, and eating a delicious prime rib feast!

One of my new aprons - plus the nutcracker that has an apron to match too!

Here we are modeling both aprons

Getting the puzzle done

I felt rested enough with the help of the codeine and inhaler that the day after Christmas we drove up to my sister's again so we could all go into San Francisco and spend the day being tourists, which I always love.


Krazy Kaps - hat shop, a Pier 39 favorite

Clam chowder bread bowls - Yummy!

Because we all need more candy the day after Christmas!

On our drive back down to Santa Cruz we stopped in Los Gatos to drive through the spectacular Festival of Lights! It was surely a sight to see and I just love Christmas lights so it was a delight for me.

Sunday consisted of more relaxing, and enjoying watching the 49ers play and win. Adam's parents treated us to go see a production of Scrooge at the local community college, it was an excellent show and I would highly recommend it to anyone in that area. They'll be doing it again in 2010! Monday I was feeling a lot better, and of course it was the day I would be leaving. Adam and I took the opportunity to get out and go see Invictus, which I really enjoyed and would recommend. Then it was time for me to fly home to get back to real life.

Despite the terrible cough and cold, I felt so loved and made the most of my time there.

We missed my parents thought who had planned on going up to San Mateo to be with my sister as well, but ended up in Arizona with dear sweet Pa, who got really sick and wasn't able to travel to be with my Aunt for Christmas.

I am so thankful for parents who are such good examples and who were so willing to change their plans to do the right thing and spend Christmas away from all of their children and grandchildren. Pa certainly needed their love and support, they ended up in the ER on Christmas too and my wonderful grandfather has now been admitted into a skilled nursing facility while he recovers from a herniated esophagus.

We're praying for you Pa!

We had a great time ringing in the new year, and took one last picture in front of our beautiful tree before she came down. Happy New Year to all!