Day 365 - December 31

Here we are.  Day #365.  This year is ending right where it began - on 34th street in Hamden.  The bright orb you see is a street light, but if you look a little to the left and a little down, that's the mini ball that drops. 

2010 was a decent year - definitely better than 2009, but I'm hoping 2011 is even better.

Best part of 2010 was finally finding a house!  We also enjoyed the vacations - California, Boston, and Arizona.  We didn't see my mother as many times this year - she stayed in AZ for more time.  She was still here for Easter, her dr's appt's in the fall, and a wedding in the fall though. :) We survived a couple blizzards, although they were made easier by not being homeowners at the time.  We said goodbye to Sneakers which was sad, but attended several weddings that were happy! I went to my first roller derby bout and joined a book club to meet people near our new house.  We bought a grownup dining room table and learned how to install a garage door opener.  I had some seriously crazy medical tests done at the beginning and end of the year, but there's still technically nothing wrong with me!  While we did go to professional sporting events this year, somehow in the calendar year of 2010 we did not see a Ravens or Orioles game in person.  We ate some great meals, mostly on vacation, and took some great pictures that we still need to get around to putting up in the house.  And one of these days we'll completely unpack the boxes in the back bedroom....but hey, we have to leave something for 2011. :)

Day 364 - December 30

We're flying home today ... it's pretty overcast in Houston.  One more takeoff, one more landing, and then we are home!

Day 363 - December 29

Here's something you don't see everyday in the desert - a rain storm!  (Unless you're us - then you see it fairly regularly because Christmas week appears to be rainy week around here.)  It was really coming down.  What is more interesting about this picture is that it was taken at 5 pm.  Even with the storm, it was this light out!  Once it started getting dark though, it was REALLY dark REALLY quickly.  This is my parents' back yard ... quite the oasis.  Someday we'll be there and be able to go swimming.

Day 362 - December 28

To get out of the house today, we went to Rocks & Ropes in Tucson.  The boys and my mom all did some climbing while my dad & I watched.  I tried it on a cruise ship a few years ago and only got to the 3rd rock - so I didn't see the point in paying for the torture.  It was fun to watch them do it though!

Day 361 - December 27

Before I knew I had the perfect gift for my Mom for Christmas, I had done some creative thinking about what to get.  I found a place online that makes custom photo jigsaw puzzles.  Note to self - when making a puzzle next time, pick a picture that is not 70% snow and sky and 20% rock!  We spent quite some time on it today, and this is as far as we got.

Day 360 - December 26

Since we're 2 hours behind east coast time, football starts at 11am here.  We found a bar that serves brunch and has Sunday ticket so that we could watch the Ravens game.  It gave me a chance to wear my new Flacco jersey! :)

Day 359 - December 25

Merry Christmas!!

It has been a LONG 24 hours.  We celebrated with his family last night, closed our eyes for a few minutes and then flew to Arizona this morning.  Somehow while we were traveling, morning turned to afternoon and then evening so here we are in the dark.  We had dinner and then played this year's Christmas present game - "Minute To Win It Christmas Edition."  We picked up candy canes using chopsticks and ribbons, shook jingle bells out of a tissue box on our back, put bags of Hershey kisses in order by weight without looking inside, and tried to swing red pom poms to our nose but that one didn't work. 

My mother was very surprised with her special present - it was a toy train that she thought got lost in the moves but it was safe in my Aunt & Uncle's garage the whole time. 

The picture is of a small neighborhood in my mother's Christmas house village.  This is "Ralphie's neighborhood" from A Christmas Story.  (Not pictured, the department store with the scary Santa & slide.) The mini leg lamp was one of my best Christmas present finds ever, back in college I think, just before the movie got super big.  We set it up in the window for her while she was out one night.  Now it's the centerpiece of Christmas village.