Whew!! What a Holiday!!

The holiday season is behind us and with it the whirl of excitement and fury of preparation is past. I had so looked forward to 2009 - the year when we would all be back together again - and I must admit that the togetherness was definitely the best part of the holiday.

I maintained from the beginning that everyone had already received exactly what he/she wanted without any presents at all. Chandler got to go snowboarding after two years. Haley got to talk to Elder Benjamin Woolf after a long six month dry spell. Easton, well, I am pretty sure Easton has kissed a girl this year. And if he hasn't, it isn't because he didn't have plenty of opportunities! Kali got to enjoy December with few painful soccer workouts. And Teagan got word that the cutest girl in the fifth grade likes him!!

Will we ever outgrow matching pajamas on Christmas Eve?

The girls love their pj's (especially when they pick their own)

Only Haley still gets to cuddle with Teagan

Regardless, we did all of the usual things. We baked cookies, had friends over, spent time with family and exchanged gifts. I got to go to the Mannheim Steam Roller Christmas concert with Kari. The Tabernacle Choir Christmas performance was the usual high point, and the absence of school and homework pressures were an added bonus. Yet, this year was even more special.

Dessert Night at the Hansen's

We cruised to Mexico with my family (Sharps, Perrys and Tuckers) the day after Christmas which was a blast!! We enjoyed good food, relaxation, and great company. The sun shone most of the time; however, it is never hot enough for me!

Setting Sail on the Elation

Hansen's Cruising!!

Easton had fun slicking his hair back for formal night

I wonder how many pounds you can gain eating big meals every night??

We played on the beach and rented jet skis. We toured the beautiful coastline of Cabo and shopped the flea markets for killer deals.

Great deals are found on rainy days!

The kids went out into the ocean as far as they dared (way beyond the Cruise ship) on the jet skis where they tipped over, lost the key to the jet ski, and were temporarily stranded. Of course, no one could see them way out there but, no worries! They rigged the machine with a hair pin and hair elastic and were back on shore within the hour.

This threesome is a recipe for disaster...lucky for the hairpin and elastic!

Teagan got a "Jumpman" tattoo - it just didn't handle the water too well.

Hang on for dear life...Easton is driving!

Our return on New Year's Eve was perfect as we were home just in time to attend and participate in Savvy's baptism on January 1. What a sweet and special day! The entire Hansen family was in attendance which always makes for a wonderful event. I loved having Chandler there and know that it brought back sweet memories for him.

We had our annual Gift From the Heart evening on January 2. While I love to complain about the time and effort that goes into preparing for the night, I have to admit that it is always a memorable event. In spite of the considerable thought that goes into the gift giving, it is not the gifts that makes the night so fun. It is the goofing around, the laughing, chatting and playing. (Cyd, I think the addition of a dance competition would be awesome!)

Now comes the most challenging part of the year. Now I face the challenge of trying to do better in 2010. Why does it seem that I am always revisiting the same goals every year. . . better scripture study, more frequent Family Home Evening, better eating habits, more consistent exercise, and the list goes on. In addition to the old favorites, there are also new goals . . . develop greater faith that all will be well, exercise hope in the future, take pride in the successes of my children and appreciate their challenges and weaknesses, pray more fervently, love my time spent in the temple, and the list goes on.

As challenging as the start of the new year seems, I suppose it is more of an opportunity than anything. I will forever be grateful for more time . . . because it is going to take me an eternity to get things right!!