Long Time, No Blog

I can not believe it has been over a month since I blogged! I always feel so busy around the holidays. This year we (I) scaled way back on Christmas related busy-ness. We did not do our usual Christmas goody baking for neighbors and friends. I also did not do a Christmas card/letter, but may still get a new year one out, who knows?!?! I had less shopping to do as well because everyone but Sophie got cell phones as one of their gifts, and we did a family gift for the family we exchange gifts with, as opposed to 7 individual gifts. Alexa helped with all the shopping and wrapping, as she was not getting presents due to her Europe trip. We were able to surprise her with some trip related items (watch and travel alarm clock thanks to my friend Denise, and a small point and shoot digital camera from Santa).

Sophie would not see Santa for pictures, but was willing to sit with the grinch ( as long as Celeste promised to sit between them)!

Christmas morning before the kids got up:

And after:

New Years Eve day we spent at the zoo with friends. They had fake snow and a sparkling cider toast at noon. It was really fun and it had been so long since we had been there.

And, for the first time ever. Tony and I had no kids on new year's eve! We were supposed to go to a party, but it got cancelled. We went to a fabulous restaurant in down town Tempe called House of Tricks. I have been there a few times with lady friends. It is NOT a "Tony" type of place, fancy food, usually small-ish portions, etc. He agreed to go, even with my warnings. And you know what? It was GREAT! Tony ordered prime rib from the new year's specials menu, and it was the best we have had in a long time, and it was huge! Tony renamed that special menu the " fat guy" menu. They said they must have seen him coming. We ate Ceasar salad with olive croutons, spring salad with cranberries, pecans and goat cheese fondue, roasted yellow tomato soup with artichoke, vegetable lasagna with portabella mushrooms and squash puree, and wood fired prime rib with wilted spinach, mashed fondant potatoes with shitaki mushroom glaze. Tony even ate the spinach. AMAZING!