Happy New Year!

A good time was had by all. Maybe not a great time, but a good time. The family was excited that we were staying home. The kids prefer our own traditions to going to someone else's party. We stock up on party food: egg rolls, potstickers, tacquitos, Bagel Bites, summer sausage, multiple kinds of cheese (but absolutely including the kind that squirts out of a can,) crackers, a fruit tray, a veg tray, smoked salmon and sparkling apple cider--lots of sprarkling apple cider. We have confetti poppers and Christmas crackers (the kind with the hat and the joke and the prize.) This year we were also planning to give out the gifts that didn't make it to Texas with us (as in remembering there were things in the drawer above the dryer, and in our armoire, and in the linen closet after we were already in transit.) We didn't quite get to everything, as we stopped by to see our friend Missy and her family before they went back to Mauii, and naturally what was intended to be a 45 minute "So good to see you, have a safe trip home," became a 3 hour visit. It happens this way. So there will be much food and some gifts today. It's just a matter of being flexible.

I gave up on New Year's Resolutions years ago. But there are a couple of things I could tweak this year that would seriously improve the quality of life around here. Nothing earth-shattering. But for now, it's time to make the strawberry waffles I promised the kids we would start the New Year with.