Neglect

Man, this regular blogging is hard. It's funny, because I get so ticked off when people don't write on their blogs daily (or at least whenever I want to read something new). Blog hypocrite!! 

So what's been happening:

Thanksgiving

Was wonderful. My sister came to Philadelphia with my niece and spent a few really fun days with us. She summed it up much better in her blog (which is updated regularly. Show off). I got to see many people I love and was reminded again that Thanksgiving is easily my favorite holiday. It was made more special this year to have Ali with us. It was a strange family mish mosh, and I'm really happy that all parents/step parents involved were so cool with the overlap. I got to catch up with some friends I've known from high school, which was really nice. Unfortunately our streak of injuries when one friend and her children come over continues, with a fractured wrist for their middle daughter. I get the feeling that my house is going to be that house, that parents think twice about sending their kids to. Two rowdy boys, big dumb dog, oddly relaxed parents...

Running

Is coming together. I'm only out there on the weekends, and have been really slow and short. Last weekend I did 4 (slow slow slow) and felt wonderful. I meant to go during the week as well, but didn't have time. More on that later. This morning I did a nice 5, still slow, but pain free, and not exhausting. I think I'm back on track. Now the trick is to add the miles patiently, and be in shape for the spring/summer/fall races so that I come out of them uninjured. 

Work

Awful. I'm so stressed by the economy, and the frequent phone calls from friends/acquaintances who have lost their jobs. I keep imagining the worst, and have been working crazy hard to make sure the bosses see the dedication and other nonsense and think "we can't fire her!!". So this means I've been staying late every night. On top of that it's holiday party season, so I'm having to go to many little cocktail parties. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes I'm just NOT in the mood. I went to one last week that was at the Constitution Center in Old City. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been there (lifelong Philadelphian - shame). It was gorgeous. Big curved room with glass walls and a tremendous view of the city. It's a different view than I'm used to. The week before I was at the Pyramid Club for a party, which has a tremendous view of the city from 50-some stories high. Amazing. The Constitution Center, on the other hand, is not much higher, but because Old City is fairly flat and not as dense as Center City, you still get a great sense of how the city stretches out. 

The Fam 

Nicky turned 3 on Dec. 6th (St. Nicholas Day), and we had a very low key dinner and cake for 

 

him. We're not big on birthday parties, which I'm sure will change as they get older and start wanting them. But for now I really like making a special dinner at their request (hard with Nicky, he doesn't really have a favorite dinner..) and a cake. It was nice and low key. My stepdaugher's birthday is Dec. 18th, so I've always had that as a milestone marking the beginning of Christmas. We wouldn't get a tree until her birthday had been celebrated. Now that she's living pretty far away, we're not so strict about that. May be getting the tree today, which gives us two weeks of increasing Christmas craziness from the boys. I can handle that. 

Christmas

Leo did the shopping for the boys and he's DONE.

Yes, I know how lucky I am. Trust me. I think I got him an amazing present, but will wait until after Christmas to discuss that. 

So that's it. Hopefully more posts before the New Year....