Back to Reality

So we drove back to our balmy home town at about 1 today. By 4, I had everyone's clean clothes, 4 bins/coolers of unused food, and new presents put away. Ready to take on the rest of the week.... Currently I'm watching an older Lifetime holiday movie snuggled in my beanbag. It was nice to come home and realize I really like my home.

As I've before mentioned, I'm an anticipator. (I don't think I spelled that right - it reminds me of velociraptor....) Anyway, it makes for a lot of elongated vacations with all of the excitement ahead, but it can also spoil vacations when I spend time worrying that it will be over too soon. That kind of happened this last Sunday - since EVERYTHING was so perfect...., perfect snowfall, incredible friends and family as company, lots of things to keep me happy and relaxed, tremendous food (if I do say so myself...). But, I couldn't completely enjoy it because I didn't want it to end. Sounds silly, huh? As it turned out, Monday remedied all that, as the warm rains set in, and everything wasn't as ideal as it had been.

I feel that way about Christmas too. I've had to condition myself over the years to not have a major let-down by the time 10am Christmas morning occurs. The older I've gotten, the more I've come to realize that sometimes letting go of much anticipated times can be a very good thing. I've begun enjoying our New Years Retreat as a family because it's a sort of renewal - a return to discipline and routine that gets completely thrown out the window during the holidays or other vacations. My goodness, at this stage, I could really use some discipline in a lot of areas. Too much indulgence lately.. (see reference to food above)!

As with anything, moderation is a wonderful thing. There is a time for fun and vacation, and there is a time for routine and discipline - too much of either one, will only be gratifying for so long.....

As a P.S. - If anyone can tell me where I put the "special-ordered" CD I got for Mikayla's stocking, I would love a hint. I fear it is in the Lane County Landfill - it arrived the day we left and I have this sick feeling it got swept up in my effort to leave the house clean - and thrown away. The garbage was picked up yesterday.....