The holidays went great, albeit pretty busy – three long days straight of clan get-togethers, cold weather, food, presents, sports and family members brutalizing each other over triple word scores. My back got better, then Kristi got sick, and then I got sick. This morning I’m finally breathing normally again and so for the moment everyone’s healthy around here.

So now the Christmas stuff is down, packed and back in the garage, and we’re both getting ourselves ready for the new year. The business now officially has a Modesto office; I have a mailing list to finish and a few odd jobs to wrap, and then we can launch a new direct mail campaign in January. For the last three years, the first quarter has accounted for over half the revenue I’d see all year – by far, my busiest season. We’re looking forward to another round of the same, this time drawing business from both coasts.

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting at the kitchen table in shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt, watching Ratatouille on the living room TV and tapping this out on my laptop. Sam’s sleeping on the couch and the cats are nowhere to be found. After I wrap this entry, I’ve got a load of laundry to run and then I’ll spend some time working on the novel outline.

Kristi’s out with her mother for Day 2 of the Great Wedding Dress Shop-a-Thon. It’s going well, but I’ll leave that story for her to tell on the next entry.

Other news bits from the holiday season:

Angie and Clay just found out that they’re pregnant with twins! Angie delivers a week before the wedding, so regrettably (and totally understandably) they won’t be able to participate in the ceremony; we’ve decided not to replace them, instead just cutting back to two grooms attendants and two bridesmaids. Congratulations Clay and Angie!

More congratulations are due to my good friends Jen and Matias – after several years of debating about the right time and place and circumstances, they’re pregnant as well and Jen’s due in June. I’m particularly happy about this news.. they’ve wonderful people, and I can’t think of two people better suited for parenthood. Couldn’t happen for better people.

While it seems that the wedding dress candidates have been narrowed down, no progress has been made on the bridesmaid dresses. The color has also not been chosen yet.

Ruca’s getting more social around the house, Tuck’s running through the shower every morning (much to Kristi’s ongoing shock/amazement), and Sam’s finally mastered the new dog door. We’re both especially happy about Samson – after a great deal of reluctance to shove his body past a heavy, loud swinging slab of plastic, finally we no longer have to let him out. Good boy, Sam.

I think that pretty much wraps current news for the moment. I’ll let Kristi pick it up from here.