2013: Day 1

It's been a crazy two weeks here so just wanted to post a quick note to start off the new year.  I can't believe it's 2013 already!  Any Mayan calendar believers out there think we wouldn't ever see it? ;-)

The past two weeks have been AMAZING!  We had such a great trip to Illinois to see the Gatchel side of the family.  I was so thankful to have the whole crew together at Minna's to celebrate Christmas this year.  Thinking back, we don't think that'd happened since the Christmas after Noah was born when from Florida we made our first whirlwind adventure.  It was good to see everyone!

And it was fun to spend a couple of days at "Grandpa Gary's"  As I am looking forward to incorporating traditions from both sides of our families into the kiddos life, it was so neat to be part of making 'krups' on this trip.  What a process!  The quick story is that it is a potato ball stuffed with salt pork.  The truth of it is that it is a many day process that is being honed by the Gatchel crew every time they make it.  Grant assures me that it wasn't my fault that the batch we made didn't quite hold together all that well - that it's a guessing game each and every time.  A tough lesson for this perfectionist!  We're hoping to make a trip back to the area in March to celebrate Minna's 90th birthday and are looking forward to it already.

Christmas itself was great, even if it didn't go exactly as planned.  (Check out the full story here)  Since I was sick last year, I didn't get to experience the kiddos opening their presents and had really been anticipating being a part of it this year.  They did not disappoint!  Most of the rest of all the presents made it here to Farmington today with my parents, including the drum set.  Ask me in another month if I still think that was a good idea ;-)

After escaping the snow craziness we were glad that Tom and Caren made it in for a few days.  I don't know how Noah and Kayla were still going by this point because I was getting wiped out!  It has been fun traveling, visiting and hosting but draining as well.  As much as I've enjoyed the past couple of weeks I am looking forward to things going back to 'normal' here soon.  Noah goes back to school on Friday (not sure who is the most excited about that) while Grant heads back to work tomorrow.  We had Mom, Dad and Scott up for the game today (boo for losing in the last 30 seconds of the game.  Again) which was fun.  It was a nice way to wrap up the craziness that has been the past few weeks.

I've decided not to make a resolution, per say, this year but I am hoping to get re-organized and settled in over the next few weeks.  I have some big plans for things I want to do with the kiddos and new things to incorporate into every day life around here.  Things are going swimmingly so I don't see an overwhelming need for a huge overhaul, but there is always room for improvement.  Looking forward to what this year might bring.  Lots of updates and pictures from Casa de Gatchel are definitely on the horizon!