Out and Back: Christmas, Hampshire style.

So we finally got ourselves dug out on Monday, packed up the bears and headed north. 13 hours later we were in our cabin at Pawtuckaway state park.

It was a different kind of week and in the end, I'm not sure it was my favorite. Not saying that we didn't have fun and, more importantly, get to spend some quality time with people we care about. It just felt... transient. We became one of those families who spent christmas morning on a highway and I was surprised at how many other cars were doing the same. Maybe that's what the rest of the world has done every christmas and we just never realized how normal it was. We were lucky to have what we did for so long but of course, at the time, we never knew it.

I loved walking the bears on the awesome trails near our cabin with Dave. We really felt like a family at those moments. I loved seeing Cody and doing my best to make him laugh, which, I thought, went pretty well considering that the reactions most children have towards being held by me are usually a combination of upchucking and screaming all at once. I loved doing plyometrics with les and baking a pecan pie with mom. I loved playing Mario cart with Cam and winning every game at Trivial Pursuit. :) I loved reading, sleeping in, and although it was sad, spending some time really absorbing how much in our lives is changing.

What a transition year. New job, new house, new traditions, new family arrangements, new training programs. I really found it hard to get in the holiday spirit this year and I'm still not sure why. I wasn't upset about it though, just not in the mood. I'm trying to acknowledge all these changes as they come and not judge myself for how I'm feeling. I suppose that's the only way I know how to handle it all for now.

Pictures!!

Christmas lights in our cabin from our welcome party! Thanks!