Zan thought it would be a great idea on New Year’s Eve to secretly arm all five girls in the house (aged 9-17) with Nerf Blasters, with the instructions to attack their other uncle (his brother.)   Of course, they willingly obliged, pounding through my house, giggling and screaming to wake the dead.  It was all fun and games until Uncle chased down one of the girls and stole one of their Nerf Blasters…the tables were turned!  The chase was on in the other direction, and the girls unthinkingly blockaded themselves in the bathroom thinking they were safe.  Little did they realize that the Uncles wired our house and know exactly which button to push in the electrical panel to render total darkness within the locked bathroom.  I believe the neighbors could hear the screams of delighted “terror.”  *sigh*

Of course, all I could think was, “It’s all fun and games till somebody loses an eye!”

Thank goodness the girls emerged after calling a truce, unscathed and with all eyes intact.

My Niece/Goddaughter, displaying her weapon:

Oh, what a year it has been!

Seems as though the echoes across the blogosphere are very similar…2010 had it’s ups and downs.  But isn’t that true of any year?  The height of the ups and downs varies, and yet up and down we go.  That’s life, and no one promised it would be easy.  I love blogging because it lends itself to being a sort of historical record.  I’ve never been the journaling type, so most of the things I write about here would become recorded in memory or photos only, left to fade as the years pass.  I mean, how on earth would I remember otherwise that on January 8, 2010 I baked a cheesecake?  Why I baked a cheesecake on January 8, 2010 escapes me, but I know that I did. LOL   (Next time I’ll mention the occasion, simply for posterity.)  As my photo wall says, “Our lives are made in these small hours.”  The blog has allowed me to etch the small hours into memory, otherwise I fear they might escape me in time.

So I look back on 2010 as most of you have done.

My first post of 2010 welcomed my niece into the world.  Definitely an “Up.”

And then February saw Mister’s third birthday.

I never did get around to photographing that train table…can’t believe birthday number four is fast approaching.

February also saw me on the floor with a bulging disk.  Definitely a “Down.”  However, that’s the funny thing about “Downs.”  They make you appreciate the small things you take for granted, so in effect, they somehow get decorated with this little bit of “Up” in the end.  The experience of being unable to support my own weight, let alone the weight of anyone or anything else (literally and figuratively) was humbling indeed, and a lesson in appreciation that I won’t ever forget.

March saw the adoption of my Nikon D90.  Another “Up.”  The first photo I took with it was this one:

I still have so much to learn.  I will admit, I have been missing my D40 because it was simple, familiar, and light.  In fact, at yesterday’s family gathering, I picked up my brother-in-law’s D40 and snapped a few photos.  I finally  realized that I had made the right decision…The D40 would not do what I wanted it to do.  I put it down, picked up my  D90 and felt love for it for the first time.  I think He and I finally have an understanding and will grow a beautiful relationship in 2011.  🙂

April brought with it beautiful weather.  How do I remember?  Bubbles, of course.

May brought along more beautiful weather and a teenager.  Big Girl turned 13 in May…I am quite certain that I am the proud parent of the best teenager on the planet, however, that does not mean there are no challenges to this venture into uncharted territory.  More “Ups” than “Downs” fortunately.

Threaded through all this was the challenge of having Zan away much of the time for work.  A HUGE “Down” but I tried not to burden you all with my whining.  From February through April, he was away working in the City two thirds of the time, including many, many weekends.  He was gone 10 days at a clip at times.  The neighbors thought we had separated, and Mister started to ask when Daddy was going to come for a visit.  It was not good.  LOL  But as anything else, now that we’re back to normal it wasn’t so bad!  Ha!  I have an incredible appreciation for our Military Families…I truly do not know how they do it.  The sacrifice they make for us is extraordinary, and no words of mine can do it justice.  (Thank you if you are reading this.)

As a Mother’s Day gift, we cannot forget this “little” “Up.”

It trumped every other favorite “thing” to take a number one spot in my heart.  🙂

June ushered in my Mom’s retirement,  big “Up.”

And July, a trip to the beach.

August, a new driveway…

And of course, the all encompassing trip to see The Mouse.

September brought back to school, and Mister’s entrance into the world of formal education with his first trip to Preschool.  “Up!”  And apple picking and balloon festivals…

October, new furniture, and with it, organization!!  Wahooooo!

November, beautiful leaves, a trip to see friends, walks in the woods, a longhouse project, and Thanksgiving with family.  Not a single “Down” to be had.

And then December…crossing forty into forty-something, and a holiday season filled with all the good things in life, food, shopping, friends and family.  🙂

And it’s only fitting that I end this post with the one I began it with…my Niece on her first Christmas.

There were bountiful “Ups” to get us through the few big “Downs.” All in all, a very good year.

I wish everyone a blessed 2011 with mostly “Ups” and only a few minor “Downs” to make you appreciate the “Ups” all the more.

 

Santa brought me lots of wonderful things, but sadly he did not bring me more time.  Here is a photo to tide everyone over until I can do a real wrap-up post.

I had searched EVERYWHERE in Disney for a real pull-string Woody doll and couldn’t find one.  Santa must have good connections with the Mouse.  🙂

Our holiday was wonderful, but we’re onto Second Christmas.  We are in the midst of shopping, wrapping, and baking in preparation for our Christmas celebration with Zan’s side of the family this coming weekend.  His sister will arrive in town tomorrow, so we’ll be busy with family through Sunday.

Happy New Year to all if I don’t get back here before Monday!!  I have lots to share.