Gifted

My dad reading The Night Before Christmas to Dixon. One book, 38 Christmases.

I am, as ever, overwhelmed by December. The combination of my birthday (and Cooper's) and Christmas reminds me every year that not only do our friends and families find the coolest, best gifts for us (This year includes everything from vintage muddlers and highball glasses to Peter Lugar steak sauce to Moscow mule cups to a bow tie and embroidered belt in similar shotgun shell patterns. Also, a pink bedazzled hat that says "racks and rhinestones" - and no, I am not kidding about that.), our lives are also very full with tons of great people.

Within the past week, we've caught up with high school friends (mine and Cooper's) who live all over the world, college friends (again, both) who have been traveling everywhere, and of course the friends we've made (or gotten closer to) since college, who entertain and support us on a daily basis. Plus, we've gotten to see most of our immediate family members this week (sorry, Erin) - and we are in the apparent minority in that...that's a good thing. With people, we're so lucky.

December is also a busy time at work for both of us, which is both a blessing and a curse. I keep reminding myself that it's good to be busy, especially since I legitimately enjoy what I do. Sometimes that is easier than others.

With a month - a year, really - so full, sometimes it's hard to step back and reflect. Also, sometimes it's hard to blog. I haven't written here nearly as much as I intended this year - but I have a plan to remedy that in 2014. I doubt I'll ever be back to five-plus posts a week - the Sun and magazines keep me too busy writing for that these days - but I'm shooting for at least two posts a week in the coming year.

But more on that later. Right now, I'm going to do my best to finish 2013 strong. Four more days this year means two more deadlines...and at least two dinners out, one big dinner in and another afternoon with high school friends. Swimming in gifts of all kinds.