I let life get in the way here lately. There have been finals and holidays. I loved the holidays with the kids. The finals weren't my favorite. People walked around for days with note cards glued to the end of their noses. I had papers scattered all over my table. I recited formulas and cell processes in line at the grocery store. And I ate my weight in hummus and junk. When I study, I munch. Continually.

Once finals were completed I could finally focus on the holidays. We decorated late this year, but it was still beautiful. Thanks to the addition of a crazy cat to our brood, the breakable decorations stayed safely in the bins. We enjoyed all of the purple and pink and turquoise and green plastic balls though! This year the kids were with me for Christmas morning. I cannot even begin to describe the intensity of joy that I felt waking with my brood all in my room this year. It is said Christmas is the most magical time of the year. I concur. It was wonderful. There was Monkey Bread and Christmas cookies and ginger bread houses and stockings stuffed with goodies and more Legos than you can imagine. My kids were loving and kind to one another (there's my Christmas miracle) and that was one of my favorite parts of the day. I wouldn't change a thing. Well, if I could eek out another Christmas miracle it would be that Moneky Bread is calorie free. But only at Christmas! I couldn't handle the temptation the rest of the year otherwise.

Happy New Year everyone! I love each and everyone one of you. I wish you peace, light and love for the new year. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds!