Countdown to Christmas

I just logged into the US Postal Service website to put my mail on hold for two weeks. That makes it officially official....we are leaving town and heading north! The girls are completely excited, and I may be even more completely excited. I am really looking forward to getting away after an especially busy fall. And it's Christmas!! We haven't made the journey over the holidays since our first year here. That trip scared us, to be honest. In the few days before we were set to leave, each of us got a simply horrendous stomach bug. First Mari, then Josie, then me, then John. Fortunately, it was brief for each of us, so we headed north a few days later than scheduled. And by the time we arrived, the adults were really feeling the strain of being sick and driving 24 hours. That holiday break went by in a feverish blur. The girls are older, and those germs brought home from school are pretty rare. We are ready to give it another go! And after living in Key West for five Christmases, we have all missed the nip in the air and the seasonal delights of being up north.

We are all hoping for snow. Just a little, to arrive during the week we will be at my parents' home in Pennsylvania, so that we can watch it through the windows. Other than some flurries, John and I are certainly hoping we don't see much snow through the car windows until we reach our destinations. First up, a few nights in Maryland to say hello to friends and take up a big table at La Paz. Then to my family in Pennsylvania and hopefully the girls first ski lesson and some ice skating. On the way back to KW, we are going to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I can't wait to show the girls one of my favorite places from my youth. And our stay at the Williamsburg Lodge came with passes to something called 'Christmas Town' at nearby Busch Gardens, which I'm sure they will love, whatever it is.

Key West has some of the longest school breaks around. It seems like we were just on Thanksgiving break. We've actually had three weeks of school since then, but it has gone by quickly. After this full week, the girls won't return to school until January 6th. So even after our travels and holiday celebrations, we will have the best part of the week here at home to get centered and rest up before 'real life' starts again. That may be the best present of all this year. Time away, and time at home. I am looking forward to relishing both.