Oh there's no place like home AFTER the holidays

I'm really surprized that Vicki's parents put up with me for an entire week. :-D

We had a Newberry Christmas this year - leaving on the 24th and getting home this afternoon. Some things that were either lessons learned or worth noting...

- Playing the wind controller for carols and hymns in church rocks! When the folks sang "I heard the bells...", they really did! (handbells from the windsynth, that is!)

- Ezri and Vicki's dad still aren't the best of friends. But at least he tolerates her (and me)...

- It's really better for me NOT to have cable. I become a recliner potato, to the point of staying up until 3am watching stuff on the Discovery channel. Vicki got especially irritated when she woke up at 4am and found me staring at the tv... with the sound off... just watching pictures and surfing channels... eeeeep... (we are toying with getting cable again, and using parental control to block all but a few channels - Discovery, TLC, HGTV, Hallmark, AMC and some local channels. We'll see... might be better not to open that box...)

- I have some MAJOR exercising to do, to make up for all the goodies I had this week.

- "Over the Hedge," "Nanny McPhee," and "Cars" all look really amazing on a wide-screen tv.

- My nieces are the cutest kiddos on the planet! (young ladies actually - since one of them turns 16 in January... I feel really REALLY old...)

- I need to get a portable lamp to go with my "portable jewelry shop." Made some pretty pieces, but light was a slight issue. Had a ball, tho...

- It is possible for Ezri to get tired of playing, but I will always wear out long before she does.

- The Pizza Place in Newberry still makes the best pizza ever! If being near The Pizza Place was the only factor in deciding where to live, we'd be packing now...

- It's a real blessing to have an amazing relationship with my in-laws. Actually, I never think of the "in-law" part - they're just Mom & Dad to me. :-D

- I'm not going near fudge or peanut brittle for a few months. Yum-O, but I've had enough to last me until my birthday or so...

Happy New Year, and goodbye 2006 (not to mention good riddance)... don't let the door hit you on the hiney on the way out. The Lord knows what awaits us all in 2007, but I'm hoping for something different than last year. 2006 was necessary, but I'm glad to see it go...