As much as I despise being helpless, I think I could get a little spoiled by Joey's new found confidence in the kitchen! He has been in charge of all food shopping and preparation since my "incident" - and he's gotten quite adventurous! He has wowed me (and sometimes the girls) by making things like roast beef, snow crab legs, bacon wrapped scallops, mashed potatoes topped with lobster cream sauce, chicken picatta and broiled scallops! He's been so great to me while I'm laid up - though he is beyond tired - having to tend to me, the girls, the house and the woodstove is really wearing him out, and I can't wait to be better so I can give HIM a break. I am just reminded again and again what a wonderful husband I've been blessed with.

I"m a wimp

I have been terrible lately at updating my blog - but I claim the excuse that I'm injured and therefore have been spending more time on the couch and less time at the computer and when I AM on the computer, I'm usually a little dopey from my medicine. So, for those of you who haven't heard - I fell UP my stairs - twice, and ended up with "micro-tears" on my tendon, which equals a lot of pain and a major inconvenience to my lifestyle. I had my first ever experience with the legal and morally approved version of torture that I'm told is called "physical therapy". Joe, cruel husband that he is, sat by quietly and watched as some brutal Amazon woman held firey torches to my thigh and jammed spikes into my knee. Ok, so, it was more like an average sized woman, older than my mom, doing stretches and ultrasound therapy - but it felt ugly. Apparently - I was horribly disillusioned to think I have a high pain tolerance. Tears dripped onto the table while I did heel slides; I wimpered my way through the ten repetitions of leg lifts. Ultimately, I discovered that I'm a big baby. And, lest I forget what a spectacular wimp I am - I have to go back and be reminded three times a week.

Crazy December...

The month of December for us is usually busy, and this year was probably even more so. Starting off the month we have our annual Poinsettia Show Openhouse; this year the theme was Route 66, and was another great success. This was the first time in 10 years that I was not part of the preparations for the openhouse, which was a much needed break, and yet felt very odd to be left out. If you'd like to see pictures of the show, you can visit Aunt Beth's blog here:
After the openhouse - Joey helped transform my house into holiday loveliness in time for hosting my family's Christmas Tea. Jess and I had started this tradition years ago and loved hosting it, until she moved and we ran out of room. It has been 3 years I think since we had the joy of holding this event, and I was thrilled to be able to open my new home for our Holly and Ivy themed gathering this year! Here's some pics of that!



After the Christmas tea we had several other gatherings in celebration of the holidays! We had a good time with my sisters in law baking Christmas cookies.

I even got to host my entire family for Christmas Day! Here's some pics of Christmas here. Cliche Christmas eve scene: The sign on the basement door before Christmas - and then pics of the girls gifts that were the reason I was spending so much time downstairs!



The girls waiting patiently at the top of the stairs:

And the whole gang here: