How were your holidays?

[PrincessFiona]

How did everything go for everyone? With the holidays and New Years Celebrations behind us is anyone going through a post-holiday let-down?

My mom came to visit. I picked her up on the 24th and just dropped her off yesterday. It was so nice to have her visit and to just sit and talk for a week. I felt so bummed yesterday when I took her back to the airport. I know it may be awhile before I get to see her again.


kris

[SueC]

We had a nice time, though my husband missed a lot of it. He was on a busy rotation until 7AM yesterday morning, so I am just relieved that December is over. Family was here for a brief time, and aside from that it was just the girls and I as usual. We are suffering from a little too much "togetherness" since illness and the holidays have had them out of mother's day out for 4 weeks now. (Actually, I think they are enjoying it but I am suffering!!!).

[houseelf]

We had a whirlwind tour of Ohio and then came down with the pukey flu. As much as I love vacation it is good to be back. If I'm completely honest, normally I come back with this blissed out feeling of how *wonderful* our families are (Yes distance allows me to create this delusion). This time it seemed like everyone's issues were out in rare form and I'm almost glad to live so far away. Why do family functions create such tension!

Kelly

Why do family functions create such tension!

That is the million dollar question! When you figure that out, please let me know.

Ah, Kelly, you are correct...distance causes much delusion! We always think that the NEXT family visit will be better than the last, yet we can't wait to get our "own space" back and send everyone home!

[mommax3]

I had the best Christmas I have had in three years (since I got pregnant with Nathan......now THAT was a good year..... ) and I think the trick was that we had NO ONE here on the 24th, 25th, and 26th. We were able to open a reasonable number of presents (not the avalanche we have when there are visitors) and I didn't have the pressure of making sure the kids were appropriately grateful and balanced in their response to said avalanche. I also didn't have the pressure of meals for visitors, etc. for those three days, which made a huge difference.

DH's mom and dad were here from the 21st through the 24th (they left early on the 24th), and my mom and two sisters arrived late on the 26th and left early on the 2nd.....the four of us also went to Dallas to shop for two days, which was a good thing. The second visit got a little long, and there are PLENTY of issues in my family of origin, believe me, but our tactics have always been to not talk about the elephant in the middle of the room. My sisters and I are trying to break that bad habit, but it is still firmly entrenched with my mom, so we avoided any and all touchy subjects, and changed topics quickly if one was inadvertently mentioned, and got along just fine for the most part.

For the past two years, I hosted my husband's entire family (7 extra people), once at Thanksgiving, and last year during Christmas. I love them dearly, but strong personalities abound there and no one sweeps anything under the rug......exhausting. So the contrast this year made for a very nice holiday. My husband and I have also decided that SMALL groups of family (i.e. his parents) are much more enjoyable than large groups (i.e. his parents, his middle brother, his wife, their daughter, his youngest brother, and his wife) because you really get to visit and whoever is hosting isn't completely stressed out keeping the meals, laundry, shower schedule, etc. going.

No real let down here.....DH is just beginning to job-hunt, even though he won't be free until fall 2005, so that is pretty exciting. We also have a weekend trip to Dallas planned in a couple of weeks, and DH's brother, wife, and daughter are going to meet us there, so that gives me something to look forward to. I have been to the gym two days in a row, after making it four times total in November and TWICE in December, so every muscle in my body hurts, but other than that, I feel rested and ready for the new year.

Sally