Update before Christmas

I feel like the I'm the person in the sled in the above postcard. I'm careening down the hill towards Christmas and it's been a fun ride this year, I just hope my sled doesn't overturn. Busy is not even the word to describe the past month and the next few weeks ahead.

Our son, Nick arrived home from Savannah at the end of his fall quarter in time for Thanksgiving which we spent in Mexico with my husband's sister,her husband and my mother-in-law. Here's my husband, David, fishing on Thanksgiving Day:

Maggie wasn't with us this year and spent her first Thanksgiving away from home in Seattle.After that nice peaceful Thanksgiving we arrived home to do a dedicated purging of clutter,excess junk,clothes and assorted you-name-its that always seem to get put aside "in case we need it someday". Well someday arrived and we didn't need any of it and probably 30 bags later, Goodwill was happy with us. The garbage men weren't. I have to say that even though cleaning is not high on my priority list, the results make me realize how worthwhile it is. It's like a new lease on life.

Maggie will be home in a week with her boyfriend,Noel,for winter break. He is also a Japanese major, like her, and we think they make for a really cute couple and are excited to meet him. We are planning another 2 night trip to Mexico and all the usual Tucson tourist attractions such as San Xavier Mission and a whirlwind tour of Maggie's childhood places (should take 30 minutes tops), preschool, grade school, high school, dance studio? 19 years worth in record time.

I was asked to design a piece for Mother's Day for Just Cross Stitch and I'm almost done stitching it. I was having a designing block and it was just the inspiration I needed to get going again. Now I have ideas for a few more things but they'll have to wait until after New Year's since I am devoting the rest of the month to family and kids. Having my children gone has been one of the hardest episodes in my life but also one of the happiest to see them blossom and grow.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope you have a blessed New Year. Oh, thought you might enjoy a photo of the state park near our home.