Good times

Wow. I'm sure many of you are in the same place I am right now. Trying to get back into routines. Cleaning, organizing, finding places for new toys, recalling fun memories, missing the vacation time, but also glad to be home and settled. It's all just a little overwhelming isn't it? I am finding it to be not so easy to ease back into pre vacation life. The past two weeks were quite full and busy! I've missed being on line, but more than any thing I just enjoyed being with my family! I've decided there is just way too much to write to even begin to try to fill you in on my life during my blogging absence. I will probably fill you in a little here and a little there, but likely alot of my personal memories are just that; personal to me and likely a bit tedious to all of you. :) Today I just want to share one special part of my holiday. This was something I had SO much fun with, could hardly wait to see a reaction from, and got more than I had hoped. :) I've mentioned my sister Trish on my blog a time or two - or more. She's just that special to me. :) We are only 22 months apart and are even closer emotionally than we are numerically. :) That sounded really corny - but what evah. It's true. Over the years Trish has often mentioned this New Zoo Revue game that we had when we were kids. We played it often and really liked it. Hard to believe it was probably 20+ years ago! Like most well liked and oft played with toys and games it eventually must have found the fate that such things do - in some far away broken toy and game land. :) About a year ago I started looking for the game on ebay. I had no luck. I thought it would be so fun to surprise Trish with this game some time. I would check ebay every few months to see if some one had listed it in an auction, and finally in November I found it! I was excited, but then started having second thoughts. I mean, really, this was a game for little kids. She could be really bummed by it - hoping for something a little bit more age appropriate and all. :) The very day I was having second thoughts Trish and I talked on the phone and she brought the game up in conversation again. "Okay", I thought, "this seals the deal. I have to get it!" :) See for yourself~

Christmas with my side of the family 12-28-08

So much fun! My four siblings and I spent the next hour or so playing and laughing together and it seemed we were all transported temporarily back to our childhood. :)

Someday perhaps I will tell you about the precious time spent with my out of state cousins whom I haven't seen in a long time, how I realized as never before how important family really is to me, about our Christmas Eve camp out in our living room, the ice we traveled on for four hours and God's protection, the trip to see my family that can be made in about 8 1/2 hours that we made in 11 1/2, the fun with sisters, the oh-so-classy dress nabbed at target for $12 (important stuff!!), My sweet mom and dad who delighted in surprising us with a very unexpected money gift, the hotel stay, which happened partly because of that gift, which made our return trip so much more enjoyable, the swimming fun, the birthdays celebrated, the hopes for our new year...

Whew! There is just SO much. I guess I did just tell you all about it though didn't I? :)