Holiday Travels - Goodbye 2007

Holidays Extravaganza 2007. We've been driving for days and I feel like I'm still moving. Muncie, Frankfort, Indy, Kokomo, and back to Frankfort. Jeepers, even after all that, I still think it's easier than the whole plane ride escapade from Washington. Skye was, of course, a trooper during all the hours in the car and we got to see almost everyone in our family. I think we've seem more of our families in the last 4 months than in the last 4 years.

Although I was a bit sad not to bring in the Winter Solstice with my Sparkle Sisters, Christmas was a blast. Gary unexpectedly took off of work for all of Christmas week through New Year's Day for a big holiday fun family time. Yippee! Skye dutifully ran and climbed up on a chair every morning to put up another ornament on the "Days to Christmas" calendar. Finally it was time to head to Muncie for a GIANT family gathering - 28 people at its height at my Grandma's house. We made a donation on behalf of my side of the family to HEAL AFRICA, a cause and organization about which I feel quite passionate. Skye was loving all the Christmas chaos and holiday fun and people (whom she knows by name and relationship I might add). We spent the night and, with a car full of too many presents, headed back in a brief blizzard to the Ville, as they call it. We spent Christmas Eve with Gary's parents and, true to my procrastinating nature, I was up until midnight finishing Skye's stocking. I'm quite proud of it, but it took about 2 days longer than it should have. Santa got Skye a magical wooden doll house and Granny and Grandfather unveiled a tricycle, but nothing was as good as time with family.

We went to Indianapolis for a big city adventure, and we were like Curious George riding up and down the glass elevators in our tall hotel looking at the tiny people. We got to visit with my dearest buddy, Annette, and her wife, Bec, as they visited family. It's great to be able to stay connected with her and give a squeeze as often as she's around. We then had fun visiting my brother's family and letting Skye try to play with her pudgy baby cousin, who just isn't quite ready for games.

We have winter here in full force and even had a dusting of snow today. We have been keeping warm with circus marches around the apartment (Skye leading the parade with an empty tube of wrapping paper) and family popcorn and tea parties with the new dolls. I'm working on my first winter knitting project, slippers. I felt like I was really getting somewhere, until Gary reminded me that I would have to make two of them. Skye's been warming our hearts as she tells us to cuddle with her in her bed, wraps her arm around our necks, scoots her face right next to ours, and whispers "I really do love you."