Happy New Year already!

Oy, I lost track of 2013. It just raced away.

Thanksgiving weekend was "normal" for us. My sister's house on Thursday. David was in a bad mood but otherwise it was an ok day. We slept over there.

In the morning, the boys stayed with the girls (I think they went to a movie). I dropped David at Laura's house so he could hang with Travis (they actually had a nice time going out for lunch), and Laura and I took Sofia and Lilie to Coco Key in Waterbury for some indoor water park fun. I had no idea you could go on the same blue slide over and over again for two hours and still have fun!

We got the girls cleaned and dressed, picked up a bit of lunch for them, and dropped them off with the guys. Then Laura and I were on our own - YEAH!

We decided it would be a bad thing if we actually lived near each other, because we are just dangerous when we shop together! Efficient, but dangerous. We got a lot of stuff - coffee maker for the parents, toys and gifts for the kids. Then groceries.

We met up with my friends B&K, who were up from Florida for the weekend. Their middle son E is one of Micah's buddies, so he'd joined the kids for the movie. It was nice to see them, even if it was while walking around Khol's.

Collected all the kids, and went back to Laura's house to prepare Hanuka/Thanksgiving2 dinner. Parents came over. It was a nice evening. And we got back to our house by about 11pm.

Saturday was Thanksgiving #3, this time "Chosen Family" at my friend R's house. A new-ish tradition, and really fun. Deep fried turkey and grilled turkey. Both kosher. YUM!

December sped in with a vengeance. David resumed travel, and I launched into the final weeks of preparation for the MWJDS Gala. It was a lot of work, but I think this was the easiest one yet. I did the Tribute Book as well as the Auction, and had a creative blast.

Unfortunately, Micah and I got sick the week before the Gala. The morning after, my ears were actually bleeding, they were so infected. I'm still fighting off the infection, several weeks later, but the antibiotics helped. I got Micah some meds, too.

Vacation week was fun. Sunday we left for Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, NY, near Lake George. We had 3 nights there at the indoor water park. It wasn't as exciting as Great Wolf Lodge, but we had fun anyway. We spent a lot of time AS A FAMILY floating along the river.

In between swims, we ate at a yummy diner, and David took the boys indoor rock climbing, and we went to delicious Sushi/Thai on Christmas Eve and then saw The Hobbit 2 (for about 8 hours, it seemed!).

Wednesday we went down to my uncle's house for Christmas. Long day.

Slept at R's house in East Brunswick that night. Thursday went in to Brooklyn to visit another friend, and then took Micah to Eichlers where he picked out his Tallit for his Bar Mitzvah.

Then into NYC for a few days. Thursday night we saw "Peter and the Starcatcher", which was wonderful. Sofia was actually angry when it ended.

Friday, R met us at the Jewish Museum. We walked a bit after, got some lunch, relaxed. Had a late sushi dinner near the hotel (which was at 92nd & 1st).

Saturday I escaped for my traditional NYC mani/pedi. $20!!!

Then we had a Forced March, from the hotel all the way to Time Square. Thank heavens we had the wheelchair! It was a nice day, though. A bit of shopping along the way - I got a necklace at Tiffany's, and David got two jackets, two pair of pants and two shirts at Joseph B Banks (for the price of the first jacket!).

Micah loved seeing Time Square for really the first time (he was a baby when we last took them). Sofia, in the wheelchair, kept kicking people because it was so crowded.

We had dinner at a kosher Tapas restaurant, Ladino, on 8th & 56th. Yummy, and David and I shared a whole pitcher of Sangria. Toddled back to the subway to get home ;)

Sunday we left the city and stopped to visit Heather & her family. Laura and Lilie came down too, so we all had a nice visit. And again, we were home by about 11pm.

New Years Eve we went to the B house with a few other families. Left early, because K&D are not "stay up till midnight" people. It was nice to be tucked into bed to watch the ball drop.

It's been a blizzard and "wicked cold" since New Years. The kids had school Thursday, but Micah (and therefore I) got out at 1:00. Picked up Sofia, Sam got home, and we hunkered down.

Friday I didn't even leave the house; just caught up on some more episodes of Glee.

Friday night my next door neighbor and her son came over. Her husband is going through cancer treatment for Stage 4 Esophogeal Cancer, ugh, and wasn't feeling well enough to come over. But it was good to see her.

Yesterday was shul, and then it was wicked cold again so we stayed home. Today Sam and David are snow boarding/skiing (much to David's chagrine) and I'm about to take Micah and Sofia off to see a movie...