Paradise lost

We are back from our amazing trip to Maui and have been for almost two weeks!

When we came back to work, things seemed to have exploded in our absence. It made us wonder, why didn't we stay? So all last week, we had a few late nights, working from home and plenty of meetings to get us back in the game. It was all worth it!

Our trip to Maui was just perfect. It was a great combo of activities and relaxing. When I am on vacation I can never really relax because there are things that Iw ant to do and see. This time we made it a point to do both!

Here are some highlights

• We got up early to watch the sun rise over Haleakala, a dormant volcano and by early I mean 1:30 in the morning. We did a tour and that was when our pick up time was. Our guide picked s up and I swear he was shooting espresso! I have never in my life met some one who was so up and at them for 8 hours. He was just pumped and excited. He has done this for 5 years and it was so refreshing in a way to see someone who loves their job.

• On our way up to the sun rise, we stopped at a rest stop and there were no lights and the stars were endless. We saw the milky way and it was beautiful.

• We spent the next day snorkeling. I found a company that only goes out with no more than 6 people rather than a huge group tour. Hubs and I had so much fun with our guide. she was patient and knowledgeable. It was so awesome to see her get excited when we saw a puffer fish.
  

• The most surreal moment was when we were swimming with sea turtles. We saw one and Hubs and I were so excited. then about 15 minutes later, we were surrounded by at least 8-10 of them, they were next to us, below us and above us. Since they are endangered we could not approach them but, it did not stop them from approaching us. They were so graceful and inquisitive. There was one who was swimming towards us and was just a few feet away before he swam away. I have a deep respect for those creatures now.

• We went hiking in one of the rainforrests. I though it would be more casual than it was. It was challenging, we were climbing up and down rock cliffs only holding on to hhibiscus roots. We saw a number of waterfalls but, were glad when it was over.
  

• Pineapples, so good, we could not stop eating them. Passion fruit gelatto was another yum. Apple bananas were delish.
  

• Seeing the Hubs get formally recognized by the executive team. I had the opportunity to meet his co-workers and some people in his company. Mostly everyone was really nice and we had a good time.

• Winning the coveted tiki trophy as part of the Hub's team building exercise. We won all our team events by the half and then killed in in the sand castle final. Our winning sand castle...sea turtles. but Hubs rocked the blow darts and I rocked the coconut toss.

• Sitting in by the pool overlooking the beach and seeing humpback whales play in the ocean. It was a mom and her calf having fun

• Seeing Jennifer Aniston jogging on the beach path at our hotel

• Meeting and getting our photo with Adam Sandler also at our hotel. He was so nice and genuine and called me "Short legs!"

I want to go back. The Island, the people, the drinks, the air was exactly what our souls needed. My skin and hair never felt better. The hubs and I reconnected without the distractions of our daily lives and got to spent time hanging out and just having fun.

Aloha Maui! Mahalo!

Now just the fingers

We are very close to getting ready for our trip. We were supposed to sit down and plan this weekend but then we had to clean the condo and yesterday was a wash because we spent part of the day with the in laws.

But this week, you would think we would have time but think again. We are busy from Wednesday onward with events, meetings and concerts.

So if any of you have been to Maui what are the must dos? We are planning to do the sunrise tour and a road to Hana tour. But what else, what do we have to try activity and food wise?

~~~~~
And just to show you how busy we were, try doing this:

Almost just hands and toes

We have been counting the days until our trip to Hawaii. Sure we are excited to go and get to be somewhere new and exciting but, more so, we really need to get away. Things haven't been that great for us lately, we have been going through a down time with so many stressful things. Here are just a few in the last week:

-Hub's uncle passed away after a short illness, my father in law was able to see him before he passed and was there for the funeral. As sad as this is, his uncle passed away on his terms and had all his wishes and requests followed. It also ended some family strife that has been haunting the Hubs and his siblings.

-The Hubs has been stressed out from his job which translate to being stressed at home.

-We've been having some dog issues, one of which I can't talk about. The other one is that they have been eating paper, not just any paper but bank statement, tax document, old MBA papers. We have no idea how Yukon has gotten into them. So after two years of being crate free, she has now been put back in her crate.

-Money, but then again who is not stressed out by money. We are beating ourselves up on past money mistakes and the lack of foresight in other matters. But hey, we do not have crystal balls to predict the future but have to deal with the present. Thank goodness for the huge tax refund we got but it will require us to continue to live frugally.

-My grandmother is quite ill, very ill that I had to call my mom in Egypt. Thankfully, she has had a slight improvement and my parents got back from the Middle East yesterday.

Thankfully, the two of us are stronger together than ever. We've been there to support each other as the pieces being to fall.

So in a few weeks, we will be in the middle of the Pacific together celebrating the Hub's accomplishments and each other and not a moment too soon!

Green and Gold

Put on your old green bonnet
with your yellow ribbon on it,
and we'll drink 6 friars to the grave
We ain't got knowledge
But we are a DAMN good College

S I E N A

Go Saints!

Note worthy events
-Jimmy Fallon picked Siena to go all the way
-Obama picked Siena to beat perdue in the rirst round
-NPR sport guy picked Siena as the one to watch out for

From a small college in the Capital District of NY to being in the national spotlight I am proud to be an alum in so many ways!

Go Siena

Photo credit

Ugh, colds suck

I am being kicked in the ass by a nasty cold. Hubs got it from a co-worker and last week was his time to be miserable and now it is my turn. I am dealing with a head cold that affected my ears, nose and throat.

However, the hubs has been so wonderful. He made me dinner and dessert (lemon cake) after cleaning the apartment on Saturday. He did the grocery shopping so that I can rest yesterday and took the dogs out all weekend without me. I helped out by making chicken stock (the best smell when you are sick) and washing the floors. He was just wonderful.

Since I can't take any cold meds because they cause some negative reactions. I have been resorting to home remedies:

-Teaspoons of honey for my throat
-Chicken soup
-Lemon juice (a lemonade basically)

What are some non drug remedies that work for you

Random but good

There is no major big stuff happening so here are some highlights

• The hubs and I have decided to de-clutter the condo. I would love to get a dumpster and just toss out things but that is not going to happen (for now). So we spent part of the weekend going through old paperwork, cleaning out the front closet and the cabinet under our bathroom sink.
• On a related note, we have enough body wash and soap to last at least 3 years...I wish I was joking
• We found our bug spray and sunscreen (not expired) for Hawaii, so no need to go shopping
• I have so many dresses from my pre-wedding "I need dresses for events" shopping last year that I do not have to go shopping for Hawaii. I am so happy about that!
• Because of our upcoming trip, I got motivated to go to the gym. I ran and took an abs class. I am not as sore as I expected to be. The abs class was kind of a bust, I may replace it with pilates again.
• My puppies have been so good lately! They have been really loving the warm weather and the new smells that they have been using their energy outside which makes inside time a lot less crazy. (Now watch, I put it out in the universe and for the next week they will be demons)
• My parents are going to Egypt next week on a tour. It is so cute to hear how excited they are. My dad was telling me that he is glad he does not wear contacts because of the sand and he read that in his guide....and he found in his guidebook a small shop he wants to check out that sells papyrus, oh and that he can't wait to see what souvenirs they sell at the Sphinx. Mom is more excited for all the shopping that she did! It is really cute

So what is going on in your world?

Aloha Recoginition

Hubs has been working on a strategic transformation project for almost a year, in addition to his day to day tasks. This project has taken off like gangbusters but has had him in the office late, coming home cranky and frustrated and put him in front of some executives. His boss's boss hand picked him to participate in this project because she sees his potential.

Last week, Hubs was extremely frustrated and snappy. He could not relax or sleep with all the pressures of work on his shoulder. He (like many others) felt unappreciated and was dealing with a number of personalities with their own agenda that is making him do more work than necessary. It was not good.

On Monday, he grumbled into work. When he came home, his spirits were lifted. He asked if I had looked into any vacations this year (I have been on and off looking a places to go) and when I replied no, he said "That is good because we are going to Hawaii!"

*Insert my mouth hitting floor*

His hard work was recognized by the person who placed him on the project as well as the executive team. He was selected with a few others to join the companies excellence club and will be recognized in Hawaii.

And I get to go! All expenses paid (well except for my taxes).

I am so proud of him and all the blood, sweat and swearing that he has done for his company. I am so glad to be his support! He deserves this!

Of course, now it means I have to hit the gym....well for him, it is worth it!

How did I get here?

Last week, this lovely blogger asked me a question " I would love to hear more about your old life in NYC and how you ended up in Chicago!"

So picture this, early 2002 in NY a 20 something woman happily moving though life. It was like the stars aligned, I was in a happy relationship, I had just moved into my first apartment in Brooklyn with my best friend and work was decent despite a lot of turmoil.

Then it all fell apart, one by one. My boyfriend broke up with me via VM while I was away at a wedding in Scotland. (this was before the even classier move of breaking up via text). We were together for almost a year and a half and this came as quite a shock. I was devastated, I became a shell of my formers self. I just got up went to work, came home and went to bed. During that time I lost 15 lbs by not eating because I was not interested in food.

My best friend got seriously involved with her boyfriend and it just added salt to the wound to see how happy they were together while I was miserable. Then they got engaged on what would have been my anniversary. So I was a mess.

Then my job took an unexpected turn. The VP of my division decided he did not want to be bothered with managing my team so he turned us over to another VP who decided that we were of no use to the company in Manhattan so we had to move to the operations facility in Long Island or get laid off. Fun hun?

I am not a fan of Long Island and never wanted to commute to that office. It was, to put it nicely, a dump. Nor did I want to get laid off, I have a huge fear of not having a job even if I hated it, I am fearful of what would happen if I did not have one.

Prior to this news, I was realizing that I needed to make a change in my live, in my environment. My apt was filled with ghosts of memories and I was stuck in a rut that I knew if I remained there, it would really do more damage than it has already bestowed. During this time of reflection, I was sent out to California to visit a client of mine (known for their couch jumping celebrity spokesperson) and I got to stay in Santa Monica. I fell in love with the town, the idea that it was warm and that the Pacific ocean was different. I decided that I wanted to move to California.

Then my job situation became undone. So California was not a possibility now because I would not be able to move so quickly without money. But a new opportunity opened up for me. My company had an office just outside of Chicago and I asked if I could be transferred there. To my surprise, they were delighted and did everything possible to get me out here. I must say, I negotiated a very sweet deal.

So in August of 2003, I moved to Chicago. I had my own apartment, a new car and only one person who I knew. It was hard, very hard. There were a lot of days when I got home and just cried. I shook my life up for sure but, I was not sure if this was what I wanted or if this is where I wanted to be. But then I slowly made friends at work. I forced myself out of my apartment and took flamenco dance classes. I even joined a dating site to get myself out (whole other blog post).

And I began to blog.

Now the move that was only suppose to last a year has turned into almost 7. I met my husband here, I have met some great friends here and one of my good friends from college moved out here a year and half after I did.

It was a hard road to get where I am but, I had to challenge myself, I had to make it happen I had to survive...and I did.

What about you, what have you done to shake up your world?

A Random 5

Things have been very quiet lately. It seems that all we have been doing is getting up, walking the dogs, work, walk the dogs, eat dinner, walk the dogs, sleep and repeat.

But here are a few questions that I have been wondering about:

1-If you could compete in an Olympic winter sport, what would it be?

I always longed to be a figure skater, I used to take skating lessons yet, did not have the skills nor patience to even attempt to make it.

2-Do you think valentine's day is overrated?

In a way yes, I think that it is just another day. when I was single it would sometimes sting, especially when your co-workers would get flower boquets that were non stop. But as I have gotten older it is just another day with my loved ones.

3-What are you tired of hearing about (news wise)?

I am so tired of the health care debate. All this talk of us vs them really annoys me and then when they talk about bipartisanship while pointing fingers....well who is calling the kettle black?

4-What is your quick go to homemade dinner meal?

It is tacos! Although I never underestimate a good panni or grilled cheese sandwich.

5-What is the best piece of advise you were ever given?

People will never act (or react) in the way you want them to. But you are in charge of how you will respond.

Your turn...and are there any answers to questions that you want to know?

My head hurts

I rarely discuss my job in the blog. I never mention the company nor specific details about what I do. However, work has become such a pain in the ass for me. It is not the job per say, it is the people. Here are some highlights from the past week:

-Yesterday, the whole company got a spam email. I did not open it, it went straight to my trash box. However, a few did and then people started to "reply to all". We have about 12,000 employees around the world. Our email was clogged for 2 1/2 hours. The sad part, most of the reply to all and then the emails telling people not to reply to all, were written by managers. At last count it was up to 300 emails!

-Would you tell your co-workers that you are on an anti depressant? Would you tell you boss? Would you start crying at your desk (and some of your co-workers desks) complaining about menopause, your doctor and insurance? Yes, this was the same person!

-I am trying to wrap up a project. A project that was to be completed by the end of 2009. then was pushed back to the end of January and is now pushed back till March. Why the hold up? Well the team leader has decided to "check out" and is not being as active as she was in the beginning. So as the project leader I pick up the slack and all I hear are crickets. People don't get back to me, they do not get back to my boss. It is beyond frustrating. What kills me, is that this project has affected my 2009 performance review. Thankfully, my boss is very understanding and has supported me through out. Which is a good thing otherwise I would have flown out east to kick some ass.

-IT is overworked and not communicative. So they do not respond to my requests for info and updates.

-Our office is overdecorated for Valentine's day. I am a fan of a few things here and there, but it is over the top. Not as bad as Christmas, when Ms. Prozac wrapped all the pictures on the wall.

-I am over the passive aggressiveness.

I need a drink.

What is giving you headaches?

French onion soup

So this is my favorite recipe, it is from the Chopping Block:

2 tablespoons of butter
4 Medium yellow onions thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 cup sherry*
5 cups beef stock**
French bread
Gruyere Cheese

Heat your pot, when it is hot add the butter. Let it melt and then add the onions, let the onions saute for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally (Christina's note, our onions were huge so they filled the pot all the way to the top, do not worry as they cook, they reduce in size. I also added a pinch of salt at this step to heap the onions sweat)

Add the thyme, salt and pepper.

Add the sherry and use it to deglaze the bottom of your pot. Make sure you get all the yummy brown bits. Let the mixture simmer a bit until the sherry has evaporated.

Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat so to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning (Christina's note, if you are using a regular stock, you can reduce some of your salt. I also love extra thyme so I add more)

Get your oven proof bowls, cut the bread about 1/2 inches thick. Grate the cheese.

Ladle the soup into your bowls. Fill only 3/4 of the way, add the bread and then sprinkle the cheese. Set the bowls under your broiler for a couple of minutes (Christina's note watch the bowls as different ovens have different heat levels. It is a good idea to put them on a rimmed cookie sheet, because they are hot).

Remove, and add extra cheese if you wish (um yes!)

Let it cool for a moment and enjoy!

Serves about 6

*Use regular sherry not cooking sherry
**Vegetable stock can be substituted

Notes:
-This is even better the next day, you can make the recipe up to adding the soup to the bowls.
-You can substitute thyme for herbs de Provence

If you make it, let me know your thoughts.

Just the points

• Rosie has had two puppy training classes and has shown a lot of confidence and is food motivated so is quick to learn. The downside, is that she is food motivated and interrupts other puppies and their owners for a treat. It has been a fun class and we've learned a lot. This week's homework is the sit (leading to stay) command and a review of the "come" command.
• Ever since the burglary, it seems that all our neighbors are watching out for each other and for us. People have really stepped up and are checking in with each other and sharing notes. It is great to be a part of that.
• The downside of that is some entitlement issues and passive aggressive comments that have been going back and forth. We are all adults, if you want your upstairs neighbor to turn down his TV, knock on his door and ask him!
• spend a lot to get my car maintained, more than I planned, and we still have a few more issues to take care of. Well when you are almost at 30k miles, stuff happens.
• Bought a new blender for $0.38, thank you gift card.
• Making onion soup today....can we say yum.
• Can't believe that my best friend is having a baby in 6 weeks, I am an honorary aunt and can't wait to see them in the spring!
• My parents are going to Egypt for Spring break (they work in a college). they have been so funny about planning and researching. According to my dad, never buy alabaster in the streets, it is fake and there is one store in Cairo that sells papyrus as done my the ancient Egyptians and he may have to go check it out.
• I am so over the late night wars!

What are your bits and bobs?

Help

With the news about the earthquake that devastated Haiti, there is a onslaught of generosity.

Before you donate money, make sure that it is a reputable organization. Sadly, as with most recent disasters people have been scammed and their contribution does not make it to the country in need. To check if your charity is a legitimate one please check out this website.

Check with the local offices to see if they are collecting food and clothes. The Red Cross in Chicago is requesting financial donations as it costs them time and money to sort and send clothes. Also, they like to stimulate the local economy by purchasing items there.

Check if your company is offering matching donations to maximise your donation.

Some other relief and charities organizations that are collecting are
Doctors without Boarders
Habitat for Humanity
Red Cross
Mercy Corps
Care
Save the Children
World Food Program

Check to see what they are looking for (although most are seeking financial donations)

You can also text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the International Response Fund of the Red Cross.

Staying safe

Our neighbors were a victim of a day time home robbery over the weekend. It happened between 1-3 pm, most of the neighbors were out (including us) and did not see anything suspicious until about 3:45. They lost their laptops, a gaming system and some custom jewelry. They crate their dog so she was okay, shaken up but okay/

It got me thinking about some things that we all can do to protect our homes. The first thing it to add layers to make your home less appealing:

Here are some tips to keeping your home safe.

Structure:

-Alarm system

There are so many options available that can be suited to your house/condo (make sure they are reputable, do your homework). Many are offering discounts or free options that help to mitigate the cost. Put the alarm stickers on your doors and windows, it is a major deterrent (Plus, it reduces your homeowner’s insurance)

-Doors:

How strong are your doors, are they reinforced with steel or just a simple hollow wood door? Can you replace them? If not, the simple thing it so add a metal plate, like a book cover, they glide over your door and then you bolt your locks and handle in, it is hard to drill to open the lock. You can also consider some drill proof locks.

-Windows

-Do you keep your shades open to show the world what you own? Invest in blinds, curtains and keep your windows locked when you are not home.

-Assessment

Time yourself give yourself 5-15 minutes, what is in plain eye sight and can easily be taken? Try different entry points. Secure those items to make it harder.

Personal items

Serial numbers

Keep a record of your serial numbers for your computers, gaming systems, TV, DVD players etc. Keep the record on an internet based system such as Google Docs. Print and keep a copy for yourself (perhaps in a book on your bookshelf or taped to the back of some artwork that is hanging in your home)

Jewelry

Do you want your sentimental jewelry taken? Place those special pieces away from your everyday pieces. Keep it somewhere unusual that would take a lot of time and effort to find but not hard for you to remember.

Insurance:

From homeowners to renters insurance make sure you have your items covered. Be honest, look at the value of your bit ticket items and get coverage. It is a small price to pay

Safe

Invest in a strong secure one, one that is too heavy for a person to carry comfortably. Keep your passports and important papers in here but keep a copy of your passport somewhere safe, Scan it to your email. A safe deposit box at a bank is another option.

Buzzar/doorbell:

Make sure you know who you are letting into your building or home. It is okay not to let people in that you do not know even if they say they are friends of your neighbors.

People

Know your neighbors

You need to keep each other informed of any suspicious activity. Don’t be afraid to speak up

Know your local police officers

Invite them to your association meetings; let them know your concerns. They have tips and suggestions to keep you safe and you develop a relationship with them.

Pets

Ensure that your pets have the electronic ID system. Make sure you keep those numbers handy. Call all shelters if they go missing

Be aware,

Know your surroundings, know the people who live in your neighborhood and report anything suspicious.

What are other tips?

Gone to the dogs

Since we added Rosie to our family, we have had our hands full. She is very quick, nimble and has a stubborn streak. But she and Yukon are good friends and entertain each other for a few hours a day. She and Chaplin can share our bed during nap time.

We've been working from home for the past few days due to the snow storm and she has decided that she would rather spend all day on a lap rather then in her warm crate. She is not a fan of the cold weather and loves to wear her jacket. Her dad is looking at doggy boots since she is very sensitive to the salt.

Yukon has been such a good big sister. She tolerates having a playmate and has taken on this matronly aura. I am so proud of her.

We all start obedience school this weekend and I can't wait. We need to work on a few things but, we can't imagine our life without her.

Changes to work for

The past two weeks have been lovely! It was great staying home doing little things to make our house neater and spending time catching up on movies and playing with the pets. I got most of my list done but not all of it. I have been procrastinating on finishing up cleaning the office and my bedroom closet though.

But with 2010 brings some things that I want to start to do. I don't like to call them resolutions because I feel so bad when they fail but, rather call them changes to work for. The top of my list is to get my body in motion. I have not exercised in ages and am feeling the effects so instead of wallowing about it, I need to get moving. Back to the gym for me and perhaps start running (perhaps). I also have to watch what I eat, the holidays wrecked me so now we have to go back to eating good things. Work has a program to help you get started so I signed up to keep me motivated and accountable. I was so good early last year but, stopped. Now, I have to get back on track.

I want to stay organized. I get so freaked out sometimes by not having a neat and tidy house. So I want to work to maintain and do little things that help keep it looking good. I have already started, I organized all the cleaning products by usage, accessibility and if it is dry vs. wet. I also take at least three things that don't belong in a certain room and put them back when I leave the room I am in. Finally, I conditioned our chopping block and it looks so pretty that nothing is allowed on it. I plan to clean for a few minutes each day so that the weekend is not a cleaning marathon.

Simple changes I suppose but I hope these work to make things a bit easier for me in the long run.

what are your "changes to work for"?

Ringing in 2010!

It is hard to believe that another year has gone by so quickly (as it feels sometimes). It was a good year all in all for me. Getting married was the highlight! But there were a lot of little moments that made the year for me. I get to hang out with an amazing person each day, I get kisses on the nose from my cat, cuddles and hugs from my dogs. I got to see a lot of family and friends this year.

I hope that 2010 brings each of you a lot of love and happiness.

Happy New Year!

A Rosie outlook

This is the reason that I am not getting all of my to do items off of my list (I have made a decent amount of progress though)

Her name is Rosie and is one year old. The hubs and I adopted her from a local shelter last Friday with Yukon in attendance.



They are getting along really well and spend their days playing "I want the toy you have" and cuddling on the doggy beds. Yukon is taking with her and has been a good sport. We've all be going on long walks and are working to develop the pack leadership.
Chaplin is a bit confused because she is a dog yet smaller than him. They have been testing each other out and have gotten to the tolerated part. Although he loves her crate!

The hubs and I have our hands full but, in a good way. We did our research and made sure that our priorities were the safety and well being of our first two pets. She is the perfect fit and is a love bug. It is only a matter of time before they are all sharing the same bed.

It has been worth it!

Free of the rest of the year

Today is the last day of work for me. I have the next two weeks off. I have a generous vacation days due to my savvy negotiation skills. But being a project manager does not mean I can ignore my emails, so for each day I will be checking in here and there. I want to conclude two projects before the end of the year so I have to make sure that they are in the wrapping up stages.

But it still means that I can sleep in and spend the day doing things that I want to be done. It is more of a staycation and I can't wait.

The main projects of my days off are to clean the condo from room to room. I created an aggressive list with what needs to be done and starting on Monday I am tacking the kitchen and bathroom. Tuesday will be spent in the office. Wednesday is a cooking day and doing the living room. The following week is the bedroom. I want to start the New Year in a gleaming spotless home.

I am also cutting myself some slack because I want to rest, catch up on some movies and do some beading. I also want to spend some time in a museum and making some yummy goodies.

It is going to be such a fulfilling way to end 2009.

Christmas Calm

So a strange sense of holiday calm has descended over me. I think because for the first time in a long time, I am on top of my game. I have all my Christmas presents done, wrapped and under the tree. Most of the cards are written, they just need to be stamped and sent The presents for the fam are boxed and almost ready to go (I have to get a treat for the dog). Last night the hubs and I made color mix crayons for gifts for our friends and family who have little ones.

I have also been planning our Christmas eve meal, I have decided to make:

Beef Bourguignon
A frisee salad with warm goat cheese
Popovers (from Trader Joe's)

Served with:
Bordeaux wine

For dessert, I am not sure. I was thinking cream brulee but that may be too much. So I am thinking a simple apple tart.

It is just the Hubs and I that night and I wanted to start our own traditions so I figure that re-creating a meal we had on our honeymoon is a lovely start. Since we are spending the next day with his fam, I am going to make a two types of cupcakes for dessert! The hubs requested a banana cupcake with chocolate frosting and I know my niece loves red velvet so we may have to make those two.

Now, I have to plan New Year's eve! But this is my last week of work so I think that I can spend next week planning how to ring in 2010.

What about you, any new intimate holiday traditions this year?