Now that the rush of Christmas is over, I can take a few minutes to reflect.

We had two events to attend and we hosted one at our home. Each party/gathering went off without a hitch. It was wonderful to spend time with family and I really cherish those times.

Shortly after Christmas, we had a few guests join us from Arizona. Dan, Cj, and kids came in on Friday, December 28 and stayed until the morning of January 2.

When they arrived on Friday night, we chatted for a while and then gathered the group and headed out to dinner. Saturday was spent doing a little shopping and relaxing, followed by a tamale dinner. Sunday we were all up bright and early for an entire day of fun at Disneyland. We spent 14 hours or so at the park with 3 children under the age of five, and still managed to have a fantastic day. We even got to watch the parade and fireworks show.

New Years Eve was spent manly relaxing at the homestead and a dinner of appetizers. Once the clock struck midnight, you’d swear we were in the middle of a war. Right outside the kitchen window, a group of teenagers were lighting off firecrackers and quite possibly 1/4 sticks of dynamite. All I know is it got crazy loud and didn’t stop until 12:30 when Dan told them ok, you had your fun now knock it off because we have sleeping children in the house.

New Year’s morning we gathered one last time for my traditional Creme Brule French Toast breakfast. After breakfast, Dan, CJ and the kids packed up their car and headed east to their home in Arizona and I settled in for a much needed nap.

There aren’t many things I’d do different this year. I guess the biggest change I’d make is I’d start Christmas shopping much earlier. Do to starting so late, I was unable to buy as many gifts for people as I’d have liked. I love shopping for people, and according to my standards, this was a pretty humble Christmas.

I’m so glad for the friends we’ve made over this past year, and I’m so glad that Dan and CJ were able to come and visit with us over the holidays. I’m looking forward to many many years of their friendship.

So raise your glass to 2008 and let’s hope it’s the best year yet!

My oldest child turned 13 on Thursday. We celebrated by taking her to Red Robin for dinner. As for her actual birthday, that was pretty much it. However, we had a big party for her yesterday.

Friday night she went to her dad’s so that Saturday morning her step-mom could take her to get her hair done before everyone joined her. My job was to pick up 5 of her nearest and dearest friends and meet up at home base, which was her father’s house.

Once there and ready to go, our first stop was the nail salon. The first one we went to wasn’t going to bother with trying to fit us in. “You come back in an hour?” No, we need to start now because we’re on a time schedule. “No, you come back in an hour.” No, bye bye. Now mind you we had 7 girls getting mani-pedi’s. I understand that’s a lot of people, but that’s also a lot of money and I’d sure as heck try to fit them in and start the process.

So away we go and a block later we found another salon who saw dollar signs when told we have 7 girls. They loaded up the spa tubs and then worked through each girl systematically. *side note, I ran into an old jr. high/high school friend there who was getting her nails done. Small world indeed*

After the girls were done being pampered, we headed over to the Brea Mall where Caitlin had an appointment at Mac. The store was too crowded for all of us to be in there with her, so I passed the camera to her step-mom and headed out into the mall in search of a few Christmas gifts. Multi tasking is good. The rest of the girls goofed off taking “MySpace” pictures.

Once her makeup was completed, the plan was to go to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Jason, Jessalyn and Chris wanted to join us for dinner and he got to the restaurant first. He called to let us know it was going to be 2.5 to 3 hours before we could be seated. After checking the time (6:30) we decided hell no we’re not waiting that long. At this point you may insert your own special brand of drama from a teenager and I’ll leave it at that.

Jason went back home and we ended up at TGI Friday’s for dinner, which I can tell you was way more fun than the Cheesecake Factory ever would have been. When it’s your birthday, they randomly come to you throughout dinner and tie balloons to your hair. Caitlin had 7 balloons tied to her head at one point.  Dinner was fun and we all ended up having a fantastic time.

(I’d insert a picture here but I can’t because I didn’t take any pictures after dinner)

From there it was back to her step-mom’s house where we had a huge spread of dipping items such as a metric ton of fruit, to cakes, to pretzels, and  marshmallows, cookies, you name it we had it, and we attempted two chocolate fountains. We had a white one and a milk chocolate one but neither of them worked worth a darn. The white chocolate was grainy and the milk chocolate refused to even flow. That didn’t stop the girls from trying though. Even though that portion of the party was a bust, they all still had a great time.

Everyone was spending the night there but me. I headed out around 11:15 to sleep in my own bed. That brings us to this morning. I’ll be going back in a while to join them for breakfast before bringing the girls home and getting on with my day.

I hope Caitlin really appreciates all that went into the planning and execution of her party. It was an expensive venture for sure, but one she’ll remember probably for the rest of her life. She wanted to welcome her teenage years with a bang, and she certainly did. The evening wasn’t without drama, but even so, I think the good outweighed the bad.

Here she was in the summer of 2000 at age 5 when this photo was taken. It’s awful hard to wrap my brain around the fact that she was ever so little.

So here’s to Caitlin for her 13th birthday, and here’s to us, her parents who now have a teenager living at home. Lord help us get through the challenges that lie ahead.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Boxes get wrapped, oddly shaped items get bagged.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I love a real tree but this year we have a small artificial one.

3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving weekend.

4. When do you take the tree down? January 1.

5. Do you like eggnog? Hell yeah

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my stereo. I got it when we still played records. No CD players yet.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Do I have one, yes. Do I display it, no.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My son.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Caitlin because she’s an open book with what she wants.

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? It’s not exactly a bad item but a yard decoration. Not exactly exciting to open. Lot’s of… Ohhhh, this is so…. pretty. ummm Thanks?!? I like it and all, but not something I’d think to get for someone as a Christmas gift.

11. Mail or email Christmas card? Neither which explains why we never get any cards either.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I have money but not usually until after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hahaha I’m doing that this year with my 1 year old niece. But! Her mother told me to just wrap up one of Jessalyn’s toys she no longer uses and that would be fine.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? TAMALES!

16. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I hate driving anywhere on Christmas. So home.

18. Can you name Santa’s reindeer? Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixen Comet Cupid Donner Blitzen, but do you recall the most famous reindeer of aaaalllll, Rudolph the red nose reindeer….

19. Do you have an Angel on top or a star? Neither. I do have a penguin ornament as close to the top as possible.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Not having a place to put wrapped gifts because my toddler will just rip them open. Not that I have any gifts purchased much less wrapped yet. Or maybe trying to fit new stuff into our place.

This is the last day of NaPodPoMo and I go out with a fizz. Just me sitting at the computer not doing anything cool. Couldn’t even really think of much to say.

I’m going to try and get up here and do this once a week, maybe show you the different ornaments once they’re completed. Not sure what I’ll have going on in this space after today. But keep a watchful eye because it’ll be something, sometime.

Thanks for watching.