Tonight we are just chilling at home with mashed potatoes, pork, and kraut - and ok, maybe a glass of wine.  We finally did the Christmas ornaments for the baby too!  It is that time, once again, to summarize the year in a blog post.  How else to start it off other than to say this year - everything - changed.

Some high points for 2017:
- Avery.  Every. Thing. About. Her.  Even the pregnancy was a high point.  It was a pretty easy pregnancy (I know this) and a crazy experience from taking the pregnancy test, going for ultrasounds, feeling the first movements, and even her birth.  The showers that were held for us were amazing and beautiful, and I've never felt so loved.  Even the photos from our maternity shoot were a highlight as I've never felt as pretty either.
- Getting to be away from my day job (as a result of the previous bullet) for 7 weeks was also a high point.  I felt refreshed on what I was working on in a way a week vacation never could make me feel.  I get how much people just want to stay at home with their kids, but alas that is most definitely not in the cards.
- Selling the old house, buying the new one, and moving out of Johnstown.  I type that with mixed emotion because I'm also sad to be away from the people and places I frequented in Johnstown.  But it _IS_ a good thing.
- Then there were all of the things achieved here at the house (beyond unpacking). There is a roof over the deck, concrete under the deck, a fence for the girls, beautiful retaining walls, and grass and flowers/trees to make this coming spring an adventure!
- How easily Safyre and Danika adjusted to their new home.
-  I still managed to get one cruise in before I was past Royal Caribbean's threshold for sailing.  Lor-Lor and I had a blast in the caribbean!
- Finding a new church.  It's smaller than I thought I wanted but the love is real.
- Getting to work from home.  It really is a nice set up.
-  I had several visits from my Sister and one from my Niecey-poo.

Looking at my desires for 2017 from last year's post I can repeat "yay" that the house sold.  I tried to talk to neighbors, two houses are at least friendly but three sets ignored my attempts.  I can at least say I tried.  I did get out to one concert (Die Antwoord) but I didn't do Kennywood and whatnot due to the pregnancy.  I was also looking forward to not needing to kennel the girls for the holidays and instead getting to be with them.

The tough parts of 2017:
- There was a lot of loss this year within my family and for friends.  We lost my Aunt Dee on Mom's side, my Uncle Mike and Aunt Dot on my Dad's side.  My beloved friend Christine (Slippy) is also gone.  A close friend's sister lost her battle with cancer.  Coworkers lost teenage children and spouses.  Other folks I know who lost siblings to suicide.  It makes me sad to know these families are missing loved ones through the holidays.  Other friends have worried for a parent's health at some point this year - and some continue to do so right now.  If I hadn't had the pregnancy and Avery, I can't even imagine how negatively I'd be looking at 2017.
- As I said, I miss everyone back in Jtown.  I even miss having humans to talk to in person periodically during my work day.  I need to find new friends that are near by and I don't know really how/where to do that.
- I won't lie, having a baby is a major adjustment.  I can't go and do things when I desire and I'm definitely tired.  Starting to get sick (which happens when a kid and boyfriend are bringing cooties in - even though I managed to avoid this type of crap for years) takes a whole new tone.  The house is a bigger mess.  There are drawbacks, but they're outweighed.
- The holidays have always made me a little sad.  It's the let down after all of the anticipation and preparation I guess that usually gets me.  This year I was a little extra sad for the absence of my parents, because they couldn't be here for Avery's first Christmas.

My desires for 2018:
- To make some new/local friends.  It can feel pretty lonely from time to time and it's frustrating to have no where to go or nothing to do other than medical appointments and/or going shopping (not a healthy friend), especially when my Favorite Egg has his activities and still gets out often while we sit at home.
- To live in the moment, even the poo filled ones, with Avery and enjoy every phase.  This year flew.  I feel like a time warp happened and I know it is only going to get worse.  I pray that I can find a way to make it all slow down - more deep breaths and a conscious effort to just dig in to what is around me.  I've always feared change but there are so many changes that I cannot avoid and when I adjust to one stage and learn to enjoy it I'll fret for and mourn those stages leaving.
- To make a few more upgrades around the house (cabinets in the laundry room, a different sink and some tile on the one wall in the 1/2 bath), maybe some electrical alterations or glass block in the garage to let some light in.
- Now that the baby is "out of the way" I guess I can rehash last year's desire to get my weight back in check.  That may be a challenge with a little one.
- To learn how to cruise with a wee one in tow!  There is one cruise booked and I'm praying it is still more relaxation than hassle with this big change.
- To take Avery to visit my sister and her husband.  I'd like for her to get to meet her cousins too, but I guess there's no telling where Niecey-Poo might be.
- Now that Avery is here I also have a big one that borders on resolution - I'd really like to cut back on the choice words that come out of my mouth, so I'm not getting a call someday from a school repeating one of those words as having come out of my wee one's mouth.

I do hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.  We had a bout of sick run through, so Avery and I sat out some of the festivities.  I've managed to keep myself only to a sore throat and a dry cough, otherwise I feel fine.  The cepacol cough drops they gave me at the hospital when Avery was born have been a life saver.  Those things taste gross, but they certainly do what they're intended to.  Maybe I need to fire up another humidifier as it's down to 34% in the computer room.

It was still good to have a couple of days away from the work computers.   Further fortune shines as this is, as a result, a short week - and another long weekend is coming.

Today the dogs have the Groom and Zoom van coming for them.  Go figure it's under 10 degrees out there for said occasion.  We'll see how it goes.  It is going to cost roughly the same as the trip to the groomer did, but they come to me - so that seems like a win.

I also scheduled with a contractor to get cabinets put into the laundry room (next week)!  So yesterday we ran to Home Depot and snagged the cabinets and hanging rod.  I also bought a tree topper that I was eyeing, and four more wreaths for my windows at 50% off.  Now I need to find somewhere to store them.  Surprisingly all of this (and Avery and my Favorite Egg) all fit into the Sorento!

Let's talk about nostalgia.  Christmas has that way about it, doesn't it?  I got to chatting with my 5th grade teacher on FB today and I "wanted more" so, I hunted down and sent messages to two high school teachers on there too - ones with whom I really enjoyed their classes.

I made some cookies last night, but I'm a giant slacker as they were from a pre-packaged mix I bought from kids selling in the neighborhood.  I also intend to make a batch of no bakes, but again those don't really count.  I should be making home made chocolate chip and some pizzelles (there's the nostalgia), but it just won't happen this year.  These cookies, regardless, will cover me for something to take to two of the get togethers coming up for Christmas.  I need to make something else for the bigger meal/get together - but I might pull an old trick back out of my hat and simultaneously get my cranberry fix with some cranberry fluff.

The holidays also have a way of being depressing.  I know after all of the rushing about is done I will "come down" from it all and fight off being bummed out.  Here's where I put the PSA saying "dear friends, if you're hurting and feeling sad through the holidays, please don't allow it to get out of check.  Ask for help or talk to someone.  If you know me, you know you can call me any time."

I am pretty sure the dogs and the kid are working together against me to prevent me from sleeping.  Maybe that is my overly tired mind talking.  I believe I mentioned my desire for a nap on Sunday, or to at least return to bed in the morning that never happened.  Well Monday evening I closed my eyes while he held kiddo and she immediately started screaming.  I held her and she wiped out, but of course, you can't sleep while holding a wee one, so he took her back.

Now if I could have stayed downstairs maybe I wouldn't have noticed she was screaming again fairly soon.  But since the TV set up through the receiver is being cranky and I couldn't get the DirecTV to display I went upstairs - that was my sleep-fatal mistake.  I couldn't listen to her cry, I definitely couldn't fall asleep while it was happening - so I took her again and we rocked in the chair.  She fell asleep and there we sat for the next hour plus.

By the time I fed and changed her, and got my shower it was 11pm once again.  Since we're sleeping through the night that isn't so bad, right?  Well this is where the dogs joined in.  First there was the need to go outside around 4 something.  Then one of them needed yelled at for drinking from the toilet around 5:30am.  From there kiddo started her little noises and kicking around (as she does most days) so I didn't get back to sleep.  You'd think getting up in the middle of the night would have helped my back out too, but it didn't so I also feel a bit out of whack.

I'm truly to the point of whiny and cranky due to my desire for more sleep.  I tried to get it out of my system with a nastygram to Zulily.  Once again, they emailed on something I ordered saying "sorry, it isn't getting here as fast as we expected... and we'll cancel the order if we can't get it in 30 days".  My gripe:  You already charged me.  Your site said it would be here for Christmas.  It is for new Christmas stockings - for my child's first Christmas mind you.  I ordered more direct from that supplier that matches (tree skirt).  Don't cancel the order - fulfill it.  I had to pay for shipping, so I then shopped around more on your site and bought other stuff I prb otherwise would have talked myself out of.  If they don't send those items this will likely be my last (attempted) purchase from them.

Another weekend is gone and I didn't catch any extra sleep *sigh*  I have been able to sleep longer overnight, but that too has repercussions as I'm wiping out hard and not moving.  Then I wake up stiff with a very sore lower back.

I'm still trying to find those last few gifts and to get things (shipped gifts and cards) in the mail.  I don't feel too bad yet as I've only gotten three cards, and one of those was from a business.

Christmas photos were achieved this weekend though... and I gotta say I like them.  I look good.  It seems crazy to me, but I've never felt that way about photos of myself.  How did it take getting to this age before I could feel that way -- or do I just look that darn good now :)

This weekend was focused on Christmas, or at least the things I actually got achieved were.  Saturday afternoon we went to At Home so I could buy my tree.  I've been waiting for them to go on sale, but I simply couldn't wait any longer.  My coupon for joining their mailing list expired too - boo!  Regardless, we left there w/ the tree I liked the most and some new ornaments.  (Side note:  My mother would be in shock to see my tree.  White lights.  Not blinking.  One set of colors on the ornaments.)

While up there we also swung into Home Goods, Kirklands, and stopped to eat at the Industry Public House.  I had the most delightful fish and chips and a lovely black forest cake stout!

Sunday the wee one went down in the middle of crankiness for an extra long nap, which gave us long enough to get the tree up and the two wreaths out front on the windows.  Man, going from the old house to this one my wreaths look so insignificant - but how do you go about getting more of something you bought years ago?  You don't.  So the front of the house looks a little bare.  Ok, it looks really bare compared to much of the neighborhood.

I did not however get anything wrapped.  I still need to find a few more gifts too.  But the big thing is getting some wrapped and mailed out.