We went to visit my family and exchange Christmas presents with them over the weekend. We headed there early Saturday morning with plans to stay through Sunday night. We wanted to watch the Pats/Colts game there and then head back home. The weather had other plans; because of it we ended up coming back home very early Sunday afternoon. When we left for NY Saturday morning there was no mention of snow in the forecast. By Saturday afternoon the forecast for here included 3+ inches of snow to begin falling by the time the Pats game started on Sunday. If/when I ever have children, I will encourage them all to become weather forecasters. I�ll never have to worry about their job security.

Anyway.

What little time we did get to spend with my family over the weekend was nice. We exchanged gifts Saturday evening. We all kept the gift giving to a minimum. My parents still scolded us for spending �too much money� on them, but they feel that spending $5 on them is too much so I let it go in one ear and out the other. Went to 7:15 Mass (UGH) Sunday morning. My parents� priest goes through Mass so quickly that no matter how tired you are at the early Sunday service, you'll never have a chance to fall back to sleep. You're in and out of there within a half hour. We went to Old Country Buffet for breakfast afterwards. Man, they�ve got a good breakfast spread there. Well, this particular one does, anyway.

Mom put a turkey in the oven when we got back from Mass. It was still cooking when D and I left to come back home and it smelled so good I wanted to cry. I was so looking forward to a turkey and stuffing dinner with my family. The smell still lingers with me so I went to the grocery store during my lunch break today, picked up a Butterball and some stuffing fixings (for sausage stuffing� mmmmm�) and am going to make my own on Saturday. Although I won't be able to eat this dinner with my family, I will certainly be thinking of them while I do.

Took a few pictures while we were at my parents. They left their tree up for us so it would still feel a little Christmassy while we were there.

Micah under the tree keeping an eye on everyone:

Sleepy Zachariah:

Mom and Dad's tree (look close and you can see Micah underneath):

Snowy back yard:

My niece the horse nut is getting so tall I can�t believe it. She turned 13 just a few weeks ago and already stands eye to eye with me. I�m 5�8�. She and her brothers are making me feel old and short. I remember being a teenager as if it were yesterday. My oldest nephew (the one who went to the beach with us last July) needs to slow down before he crashes and burns. He�s too young to be as stressed as he is. I�m hoping and praying he gets his butt back to school. I tried so hard over the summer to convince him to go back to school even if he decided to not switch majors, but he didn�t go back at all.

You know what the coolest thing about this past weekend was? My brother showed up at my parents' house unexepectedly on Saturday afternoon. Just in time for lunch, actually. It was him, one of his neighbors and his neighbors daughter. His neighbor was buying a piece of equipment from someone who lives a few towns over from my parents and didn't know the area very well so my brother rode out with him. It was so good to see him. The neatest thing about it is that before D and I hit the road to head to my parents, I got the overwhelming feeling that I was going to see my brother.

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While watching the 5:30 news last night all of a sudden the station switched to Mayor Menino, who was holding a live press conference. The news station gave no warning, just jumped to the conference, so it took us a few minutes to figure out that he was talking about a possible terrorist threat in Boston. It�s the first time since D�s been working in Boston that I really felt uncomfortable with him being there every day. Add to that the fact that a gazillion and one sirens were going off today and made me uneasy all day. Even if this is all just one big hoax, I still have a rock in my stomach that, as much as I try, I can't ignore. Damn terrorist cowards.

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It�s nice to be busy at work again. My new boss is great � very approachable, low-key. Even though the department is busy, she�s cool and collected at all times, which is the complete opposite of my old boss, who on certain days still is my boss. But my new boss is my boss more than my old boss (say that 3 times fast) so I�m not stressed out nearly as much as I used to be. I�m tired because I�m constantly busy now, but I�ll adjust. Being busy at work = the workday going by very quickly and that is always a good thing.

However, wearing 2 hats at work is getting a little crazy. Every time I get into the elevator I have to stop and remember which day it is/department I'm in. Picking up where I left off on things every other day proves to be a challenge at times, especially in HR where I'm learning many, many new things. #2 plans to train whomever will replace me in my old department. God help whomever that will be. My advice � bring an IV full of caffeine. No matter how awake and alert you are to start, once he begins to show you how to do anything, if the fact that he doesn�t let you learn hands on doesn�t put you to sleep, his monotone voice and long-windedness will. He�s a nice guy, but�

Okay, it's time for a hot cup of tea and some ginger snaps. Have a wonderful evening! :-)