Hello! I didn’t mean to disappear last week, but such is life around the winter holidays. Before leaving for Michigan on Friday, December 21st, my boss and I (finally, finally) resubmitted our grant, and I’m optimistic about our chances for landing some funding, assuming this whole fiscal cliff business gets worked out in time. Immediately after submitting the grant, I had to wrap things up at work, go home, pack, and leave the next day for the holidays with my family.
What’s that saying about how the more things change, the more they stay the same? I’ve had a good holiday up here, in the cold and the snow. My family is well. We are celebrating my sister’s engagement to her now fiancée, Scott. We are also grappling with the first holidays after my brother’s death. While my brother Scott was not a fan of Christmas, the passage of time is often marked by family holidays and birthdays. We remember him, even as the time we shared with him in life slips away from the present time.
It’s also been an incredibly busy week, which is why I disappeared with nary a word to all of you! Being with my family is a total immersion experience—I stand in awe of those of you who are able to blog during the holidays. I am clearly unable to reach such heights of greatness. (I’m catching up on all your blogs, too—it’s nice to have a little collection of posts to read! I have missed you.) But today I’m having a quiet day with my sister Theresa and her Scott. While they putter around her house, I’m looking at Christmas photos and writing this blog post. We had a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, fruit, and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Later today we will probably head out for a wintry walk in Maybury State Park and maybe hit up Ann Taylor Loft’s 50% off holiday sale. I’m still in my pajamas, looking something like this:
Aren’t I lovely? Yes indeedy. Hee hee! (My six-year-old niece took that photo—she brings out the silliness in everyone!)
Anyway, happiest of holidays and a fantastic new year to you! I am excited to do my year-end post and new year’s resolutions (I see Chrissy has already posted hers!). I’ve also been working on another post in my freedom series, but that one is more personal, and with blogging, it can be tricky to figure out what is okay to share. Until then, be well!
4 comments:
It sounds like you had a holiday similar to mine. I enjoyed just being with family and keeping internetting to a minimum. I did post once a couple of days ago while my niece, sister, and mom were all napping.
My sister and I hit up the LOFT sale the other day after we got relaxing spa pedicures (I got a mani too). I got two pairs of pants and two sweaters in an attempt to cure my LOFT withdrawal (you'd think I hadn't just been in Manhattan four months ago).
My fingers are crossed for your grant application!
love that picture :) good luck with the grant, and horray for family time!!
Good luck with the grant, and good for you for taking time off the 'net to spend it with your family. I usually do that, too, when I get the chance to go home. It's so rare, and should be enjoyed!
And thanks for the shout-out. Since I didn't travel for the holidays, I had more time than usual to make resolutions and take surveys. :)
Raquelita, nice scores at the LOFT sale! I hope to see your finds in future Thursday Threads posts :-)
Aw, thanks, Shannon! I'm a real beauty queen, right? :-) I hope you are having a lovely holiday break.
Chrissy, you are right. My break from blogging was not really intentional, but spending time with two small children is very absorbing. It makes me wonder how mommy bloggers do it...and frankly, how parents manage to raise children along with all their other responsibilities!
My new year's resolution will be a little bit similar in that I have two big projects for the year, but I have some smaller fun things I want to include. I'm not sure the fun things are "resolutions" so much as reminders that I want to explore some new things. At any rate, I love reading other people's posts for the new year.
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