December 22 -
- I did not get out of bed until 1:00 pm. I justified my laziness with the face I was nursing a cold.
- I baked seven dozen cookies.
- I watched a lot of football.
- I patiently waited as my brother, C.D.H., made his way from his Atlanta home to the family home in Northern Virginia.
- I worked from home and had a Yankee Candle Holiday Trio candle burning all day. If you have to work on Christmas Eve, you find joy in simple things.
- Snowflakes fell most of the afternoon. No real accumulation, but it was pretty as it fell.
- Does it make everyone as sad and/or disappointed to witness all the garbage--kites, balloons, plastic bags--in the winter trees as it does me? This fleeting thought crossed my mind as I walked around with neighborhood with my parent's "puppies," Louis and Toby.
- We had our traditional fondue dinner, which was quiet this year with just our family of five.
- The yearly unveiling of Christmas pajamas was done before 9:00 pm, leaving me with plenty of time to wrap my head in a new book--Bunch of Amateurs by Jack Hitt--before bedtime.
- The snow stuck around throughout the evening, making for my first white Christmas in a long time.
- After a 'better-than-Thanksgiving' dinner of broccoli, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, a hand-plated citrus, fried goat cheese, and pomegranate salad, rolls... and some sort of roasted meat for those so inclined, the poppers were popped to reveal cheesy jokes, crowns, and a prize.
December 26 -
- I worked, again. Cruel world.
- It snowed again. Awesome world.
- Our family of five ventured to Georgetown, D.C. in the snow/wintery mix/rain for at Mexican tapas at Mike Isabella's Bandolero. For those of you who, like me, do not idolize chefs and therefore have never heard the name Mike Isabella, he is a former Top Chef contestant. He might of won. Or maybe he just cooked a lot of food and was critiqued. Maybe he had this heavenly restaurant before. And maybe he did not. Bottom line: stop in at Bandolero for drinks, appetizers, dinner, and/or dessert--you will not regret it.
- After this blue haired dinner, we went to the Kennedy Center for a showing of Million Dollar Quartet. The tickets were a surprise for the master musician in the family, but the show was enjoyed by all.
December 27 -
- After getting home late the previous night, and with that full holiday weekend of family bonding time before me, waking up at 4:00 am, driving an hour to Baltimore, and hopping on a 6:00 am flight to Orlando, FL was really fun. Like so much fun.
- I made it to Orlando amongst a trillion overly-excited Walt Disney World bound children, waited an hour for Bridesmaid No. 3, rented a car, and drove an hour to Howey-in-the-Hills, FL for the Royal Wedding... where my life was planned for the next 36 hours.
- So the first 12 hours was lunch, followed by professional finger and toe nail painting, a hair washing session, a group bus ride to The Catholic Community of St. Paul church were the rehearsing (and later wedding) took place, dinner at the Angler's Club in The Villages, and a bus ride back to Mission Inn Resort where the out of town guest were welcomed with an official party. Then I found some time, albeit only a few hours, before...
- I got to wake-up for ROYAL WEDDING DAY(!!!). After I clothed myself, viola! my personal escort was outside my door, waiting to drive me to the S family ranch in Leesburg, FL.
- From morning to early afternoon, a make-up artist and two hair stylists transformed regular girls into glamour queens. I was unidentifiable. The things I endure for my favoritist friends.
- There was brunch. And snacks. Do you know what a challenge eating becomes when your hair is being ripped out of your head by curlers and you face is layered in plaster?
- Picture Time. I sold this to myself as enjoying Florida sunshine time.
- Once we were officially documented as the bridal party, we jumped onto the party bus and headed church for the exchanging of vows.
- And, of course, the best part of every wedding is celebrating the happy couple... and we did that in grand style with dinner, cake, an open bar, and a live band. Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. M!
The week was another full one. And here I am on January 13, 2013 catching up on all that is and was. The deeper message from this week is I appreciate my life. I have a job I am thriving in. I had time surrounded with my immediate family. There were Christmas and wedding festivities. And time with a precious friend of nearly eight years before she said, "I do." And even though Florida is my least favorite state, there was travel during this week and the ability to escape the ruts of my daily life.
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