The House is a Wreck and I'm Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies for Breakfast

I underestimated how much energy it would take to make and/or buy presents for 25 people, wrap said presents with a little pizazz, send out Holiday Cards with a hand-written message, pack for a mini-vacation, see all our families for Christmas, write thank-you cards and send time catching up with friends.

I'm learning. My husband and I kept saying "next year, we will...." We are learning what works for us and what doesn't.

Right now, I am beat. A wave of laundry has over-taken our bathroom. Boxes of presents cover every surface that the baby can't reach. The only thing in the fridge is some hummus. The dust-bunnies are waging a ruthless campaign across our floor.

Despite my best efforts no posting happened this week. I had grand plans of finishing off the "Giving Month" with posts on how to give to your community.

I wanted to take the baby to a retirement home. I wanted to make a meal at the Ronald MacDonald House in Fairfax. I wanted to make it out to the Buddhist Temple in Poolsville (founded by the first Western woman to be recognized in Tibetan Buddhism as a high-ranking lama) and join the monks there for their 24 hour Prayer Virgil for World Peace. I wanted to practice a "Random Act of Kindness" each day this week (donate blood, pick up trash in a neighborhood, deliver hand-made cookies to a firehouse). Lots of plans....none that happened this week.

What did happen is lots time with lots of friends we rarely see. A few met the baby for the first time. It was good. It was what the Holidays are about, right?

If you have a minute go check out the Ronald MacDonald House, the  KPC Temple and Random Acts of Kindness Foundation the Random Act - they are all doing good work. May it inspire you as we transition from one year to the next! Wishing you a Joyous New Year!!!