Start of 2014

Happy 2014!

I'm working so hard to finish my 2013 in Review post, but I am not quite there yet. Rather than wait another day to publish anything, let's catch up on the last few days of last year and the first day or two of this one.

Mostly, I've been on cloud nine because Terry is home and took two full weeks off work. While I've still have a few shifts at the store, we've spent tons of time together, with friends, and with family. I can't help but feel so grateful for the mere presence of my husband, since he was gone for work for more than three total months last year.

On New Year's Eve, Terry and I stopped by our friends' apartment after work but ended the night snuggled up on the couch--and fell asleep almost immediately after midnight. That seems to be the way the cool kids are doing it these days, so I'm cool.

An Old Fashioned for Terry, a mix of sparkling apple cider and sparkling pomegranate (Trader Joe's) for me

On New Year's Day, we headed up to see our friends for a very belated Friendsgiving, which evolved into Friendsgivingmasyears to combine all three recent holidays. Heidi and Ed hosted, and Katie and Corey brought their adorable little one, Ainsley. We all had a blast playing with her. :-)

Among the day's festivities: a quick brunch to start the day, a walk to the park to play Bocce, a gift exchange, Rose Bowl viewing, and cooking. Plus, of course, lots of food!

Appetizers

Pan-seared scallops

Brussels sprouts

Popovers (homemade--mmmm)

Steak, salad, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, plus (unpictured) sweet potatoes

It was such a fun day! And we get to see the group again on Sunday for the UCLA-U$C basketball game! 

And today we woke up early, took a short walk, and packed the car to get on the road. We arrived at my parents' apartment around one in the afternoon. After some lunch, dropping off all our Christmas decorations in our storage locker, and letting my parents see the ol' belly, 

Terry and I took a long walk with my dad and then we all went to dinner at Chianti's in Pleasanton. 

Lesson of the evening: after dinner, it's best to use the restroom. You shouldn't just say to yourself, "Eh, we're only ten minutes from home," especially if your driver is a retired police lieutenant who attracts all sorts of problems. Needless to say, we ended up ensuring an elderly lady's safety before finally heading home half an hour later. Of course, I'm glad the woman is okay, but man, my dad can't go anywhere without coming to the rescue for someone! 

And so we're off and running in 2014. It's going to be a big year, to say the least, and I'm so excited to see what else it has in store!

Happy New Year!