I love being home with my kids on holidays. I also hate it. I know that is terrible to say, but I just feel more worn out than when I work. I feel like I spend the time cleaning up, doing laundry, etc. All I am doing is being the maid to the people in the house. It gets so frustrating. The sink is constantly full of dishes, things are always lying around, and there is always something being spilled somewhere. I just wish that everyone could chip in and make my time off actually time off and not another job which is what it feels like....

Just in time to ring in a new year.....

I am back to not being able to sleep....

Great.....

Things had gone so well for a few weeks that I thought that I was getting back to having a decent night's sleep each night. Now I am back to being lucky if I get 4 or 5 hours....Hmmmmmmm

After a 2 year pause, it was so nice to be back....

I LOVE Trans-Siberian Orchestra and had gone to their Christmas show every year since they started. I have watched their show get bigger and bigger and them get better and better. I just LOVE them! For the past 2 years, I have been unable to go, but this year I was able to go again and it was FABULOUS. Of course, they were better than ever and did NOT disappoint me. The seats were wonderful and oh so close!

I was able to snap these with my phone...

The holidays were a nice dose of reality.....

Overall, things went well and that is ALWAYS A good thing....

Christmas Eve was a bit tough, but Christmas day was wonderful and even my sister and BIL behaved which was a pleasant surprise!

However, there were another reality that was not so nice....

My support of friends far away has dwindled to nothing. I sent out well over 50 Christmas cards and received maybe 20. I was very surprised at the people who did not send a card or even call....I would be so aware of a friend who was dealing with a first major holiday without a very close loved one and go out of my way to make sure that person felt loved and cared for. Apparently, I am the only one as I got the fewest cards this year than any year.....Sad

I just HAD IT OUT with my sister....

It started over money. Why is it that many families are torn apart over $$? It started with that and ended with me just bleeding out every concern and stress that I have had with my sister....

What came out of all of it?

Basically that she read my blog which really does not matter to me and that she does "not care" what I said which I really do not think is true. I honestly sis not want her to read it, but I did not say anything that was untrue and I think that it was bothers her the most. When I pointed that out, she claimed that I twisted things to make me look like the victim which is so NOT true...

I think that I need to just distance myself from her and stay that way. She is not good for me and her husband is not and never has been a fan of my children. So, it is not like any of the kids would miss them...

Look at who is now 2!

I cannot believe it! I love them so.....