Happy Christmas!

It's not a great photo but it'll do. We've lost the charger for the battery for our nice camera, so we had to have a phone photo but it's okay. Needless to say, we only subjected E to this once and since we were in the photo with her, at least she's not crying like all 1 yr old babies do when subjected to a large, white-bearded man in red. We spared her having to do it alone.

It's been craziness lately, starting first with Thanksgiving, then a struggle with finding someone to put up drywall in the basement to my parents visiting for Christmas. They are gone now and a calm has finally descended upon our lives. M has finally stopped living in the basement 24/7 and although E has a lingering cough, she's not had to stay out of daycare for over a month (knocking on wood now).

Thanks to my mom, M and I had a lovely morning/afternoon together Christmas shopping and having lunch out on the Saturday before the day. We were able to finish it all and we both commented that daytime dates seemed like a good idea. We were actually awake, as opposed to our anniversary dinner when we went out for dinner and wanted to go be home at 8:30pm. We'd told the sitter 10 though and we stayed out til 10! But I think it might be daytime from now on.

I realize looking at this photo just how much I've let myself go. It's been a challenge that I haven't been willing to take on. I just haven't been interested in waking up early to go to the gym so I haven't. I haven't said no to ice cream or beer or wine or dinner. I've just gone with the flow. It's so much easier. I don't have the energy. But we all know how to get the energy. go.to.the gym. lol So I am starting next week, with the masses, at the gym. M gave me some personal training sessions which is great but I know myself and therefore will start working out on my own before I call upon the services of another. I have worked out enough to know that, upon starting after a time off, I will get sick after the first or second week and need to take a break to get well. I figure February is a good time to start with the trainer. The hardest part will be eating well. Living with a person who doesn't need to lose weight and does the majority of the cooking. Well, somehow, I'll have to make it work for me.

Anyhow, that's what's been happening to us lately. E is as cute as ever and walking like a mad thing. I'm so happy and blessed!