Quick update

We've returned safely home after a wonderful time away with my family celebrating Christmas together. It was truly delightful, but exhausting too! We did quite a bit of running around, and now I'm looking forward to the relaxing week ahead. I had two specific moments over the weekend where I wondered if I was sending myself into a brutal Fibro flare. Thankfully, it seems to have held off. It could mean a disaster ahead when the adrenaline wears off...we'll see. I'm hoping not!! It wasn't at all stressful despite a lot of running around, so I do think that because of that and because I knew when to restrain myself, I think I'll be okay.

My mom came back with us and she & I go into Chicago tomorrow for our annual Michigan Avenue shopping trip. I'm so excited!! We take mom back to the train on Wednesday morning to send her back home. There will be lots of visiting friends & family, lots of baking, and lots of cleaning the rest of the week as I enjoy my time off work all week!

Thankfully, I am feeling much better. My 'viral upper respiratory infection' {really just a fancy way to say a very bad cold} which made me hoarse and sounding like a frog is well on its way to being over. I can tell its lingering effects, but my energy is back almost full force and I exercised today more than I have in a couple weeks! It'll be interesting to see how it does after a full day tomorrow in the brisk cold. I'll let ya know!

Here's one of my favorite family pictures from this weekend before my flash broke!! Gah, I didn't even know that was possible! So half my pictures from the weekend didn't turn out well since this happened less than half a day after arriving. Sadness!!! {And I have no idea what to do about that - do they even replace bulbs on regular cameras anymore? I haven't a clue! Time to ask my photographer buddy....}

I hope you are all doing splendidly and enjoying your time with family and friends as you celebrate Christmas and the birth of our Savior!