Goodbye Christmas

Today the Tree is coming down. I'd like to leave it up until Tuesday - January 6th, the 12th day of Christmas. While that is just a few days away the tree, as you already know, is a bit wobbly. It stopped taking in water shortly after it fell and since it's right next to the fireplace, well, it's time. I will miss it - I do so love sitting in the living room at night, with just the lights of the tree on, snuggling with the girls. So magical.

It will be nice though to have a little more space in the living room and dining room with all the furniture back in place. Or in a new arrangement as is often the case. A fresh assortment of photos, candles, decorations will come out of storage to make sure the house doesn't look empty but fresh and welcoming.

Tomorrow the girls will be back in school, and the realities of 'normal life' are starting to creep into my thoughts. Early mornings, school lunches to pack, book logs to fill out, piano lessons and Kindermusik classes, e-mails to answer, a full work week for Rich - it has been so nice having him home so much. Toss in a few meetings and Dr. appointments already this week and phew, it could be overwhelming. We're trying hard to keep that at bay for one last day though with a little procrastination. The girls are playing with their new dollhouses and Rich & I still working on that 2000 piece Times Square puzzle he gave me for Christmas. We started it New Years Eve and are getting close - maybe just a few hundred pieces remain to put in place!

One Little Word
As part of this years fresh start I have chosen a word for the year - something to live by, to infuse into my everyday life, to think on. Sort of a goal, but more. You can read more here at Ali E.'s website. Then come back and see what I've chosen and why. Won't you join me? My word/phrase last year was Simple Focus - something I worked at early on but much of the simplify part of the equation was left by the wayside between summer sports/travel/dealing with arthritis. That DID simplify things some but only by default. I have tried to keep it in mind but as many of you still have yet to receive your Christmas Card from us, it didn't always stick. I've been thinking hard about this years word, but more about that after the tree is "back in the Tree Garden" as Mira says. I have no intention of spoiling that image for her just yet.