What a week!

This week goes down in the record book as the most active holiday week in a long time! We were able to arrange for the kids to stay overnight with friends on Tuesday so that I could join Keith in Charlotte for his divisional Christmas dinner. I drove down Tuesday after working half of a day to meet Keith, who had been working as well as attending the Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Bucs Monday night game. Eight of us rode by limo to McCormick & Schmick's (a chain seafood restaurant) for an outstanding meal, good wine (all B-F wine of course) and lots and lots of laughter. I had pan seared sea scallops over asparagus risotto as well as trying flash-fried calamari which was the best I'd ever had! I can't wait to dine at this place again; I found out there is one right here in Raleigh :-)
After driving home Wedesday morning, I worked in the afternoon as well as all day Thursday. Friday was my office dinner. We dined at a local Cary restaurant, had a sitter with Justin and Kendall and had a good time without staying out too late! We came home to a sick Kendall though...just a cold, but she hacked all night long. She was up Saturday almost good as new. She has an amazing immune system. Justin had a birthday party from 11am til 5pm, they attended an NC State basketball game, Kendall went to the Cary Christmas Parade with a friend to watch her participate in the parade.
Last evening, we attended our next door neighbor's Christmas party while the kids were home with a sitter. This party was the BOMB! All our favorite neighbors and friends were present, it was a packed house. The meatballs, stuffed mushrooms and drunken reindeer martini's were my favorite things. We had to return home at a decent hour because church was a bit earlier than usual today. It was our annual Christmas pageant, the title was "Imagine Christmas" . We invited another family to join us and in addition to that, met and sat with another family from the neighborhood who had also brought a visitor. So, we had to arrive when the doors opened at 9am in order to get 14 seats together. Each year, the pageant has been completely different from the year before, yet equally wonderful. It was excellent. Afterward, we all went to eat lunch together which brings us to present time. Kendall is at her first piano recital right now. This one is a quick holiday recital for the kids only. They are having lemonade and cookies afterwards. Justin and Keith just returned from basketball practice and Justin has started on his lighthouse project that is due Wednesday. He is constructing a replica of Bodie Island's lighthouse.
I can't believe we've gone from Thanksgiving to December 14 in a flash. This is the kids last week of school before a two week break and it's my last week of work before a two week break.
It's going to be wonderful to have everyone home at the same time; no homework, no deadlines, no alarm clocks, no packing lunches or snacks, no rushing to get dinner finished to run out the door to brownies/basketball/cheer/book club.
Makes me relax just thinking about it!