Week 52! Just like that, another year winds down.
December 26
The girls got to spend the day doing a sleepover with Auntie Sarah. They went shopping, played games and just generally got spoiled. At home, Aiden was helping me take Christmas down and clean up the house and then he helped Shaun at the office cleaning up outside after a storm.
December 27
This was our 4th week-after-Christmas getaway with the group we affectionately refer to as the DiSalvaCours. We went to Massachusettes, just an 1.5 hours from home and stayed minutes from Butternut Ski Resort. As it turned out the weather was very mild and rainy, making ski conditions challenging, but the snowmakers produced enough white stuff to be useable. And really, we just wanted a few hours of skiing and snow tubing, the rest of the time was games and screens and puzzles and pool and hot tub and eating.
The hotel had a nice common area and a steady supply of coffee, tea and hot chocolate and we pretty much parked it there from early in the morning to late at night. The staff was fantastic, but they must've be happy to see us go.
December 28
Another day of games, plus an outing.
I appreciate the balance Shaun strikes with work and family. He runs a business that comes with heavy responsibility, but his family can never tell by the way he acts if the market is up or down and we always feel like his priority. He's a wonder.
We took an excursion into "town" to watch Wonka in the cutest little three-screen theater but first we walked around and explored a bit. Amanda and I were sure a Hallmark movie has been shot there.
While in town a 750-piece puzzle was purchased and we completed it in 1.5 hours!
December 29
Amy and I hit the gym each morning before breakfast. Our workouts however were quite different in intensity...she's a beast and my workouts are Silver-Sneakers style.. ;)
Before Kelly and C left to go do responsible adult things like work, we snapped a couple family/group photos. I'm so thankful for the friendships we have forged through many years of time and intention.
December 30
By 10 AM we were loaded up and on the road, grateful for our restful time away. Our family took the scenic way home and it was fun to see a part of CT we're rarely in.
December 31
Our last family photo of the year as the kids were headed out the door to two different parties at friends' houses. We so appreciate Avery's consistent willingness to give rides, even when it means inconveniencing herself or spending extra gas money. Especially on this night we were happy to not head out at midnight.
Originally I was supposed to have treatment on the 30th so we'd planned on laying low for New Year's. Even though my treatment got moved, we didn't change plans from sitting in our recliners for the evening. It was nice and I even stayed up to briefly watch the action in Times Square.
I'm thankful for this five-some we make. I really do try to be authentic in what I share here on this blog, but hopefully I'm stating what is obvious when I say....there are so many struggles, arguments, disobedience, selfishness, growing that happens under our roof that does not get shared. Not because I want to paint a perfect picture but because they are not my stories to tell. My husband is a private person and my teens are people now. Years ago their 2-year old defiant flop on the floor was cute, but that doesn't translate the same now that they're older.
That's a lot of words to say...it often is messy and we walk through a whole lot of hard but I look for and highlight the good because that is what I've trained my heart to do. We all have that choice.
Always be joyful, keep praying, in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
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