Sob!

It's the end of the holiday season, and...noooooo! Though I'm not a huge fan of wrapping gifts (I'm terrible at it) or making close to a dozen potluck dishes (because I'm terrible at that too), I'd gladly do it all again for more holiday festivities with family and friends!

Ryan also had another fabulous holiday, thanks to our generous extended 'ohana. He scored his first bike with gears (a little big yet), a pogo stick (possibly life threatening, but fun), and many, many things Pokemon-related: trading cards, a blanket, books, a puzzle, etc.

A few final pics of the holiday fun-

Homies (minus one still back in WA) since age 9! And of course we only look 10, right?
RIGHT?!

His last night as a semi-believer...we copped to the whole ruse in the AM. He was far more shocked/disappointed about the elf than Mr. Claus! We were hoping we could toss adorable 'Electric Pickles' the elf into the trash or the Goodwill donation box after the revelation, but no such luck. He requested that Mr. Pickles return next year regardless of him being a fraud. :-(

Although the holidays are over, the upside is that the weather is still wonderfully cool, we're all healthy (we just joined a gym after a very brief, 8-year hiatus), alive and getting ready for our upcoming renovation(s), both inside and out. Our new sofa and massage chair are both somewhere floating on the Pacific, headed here...and our contractor is busily building a 5.000 square foot home so that he can move on to our far more lucrative and exciting lanai renovation. ;-) I'm filled with hope for a calmer, smoother 2017...with resolutions to follow soon!