Because of a somewhat slightly disturbed portion of my brain, I am not able to blog about this year without recapping the end of last year. October, November, and December were very interesting...fun...joyous...and eventful. Let me explain.

October 25th I am determined to run some errands. I throw Ian and Emma in the car and take off for the grocery store. I swing by the pharmacy. I am on a roll. Why not get gas on my way home and really cross things off the list. I should have just gone home. As I turn around to grab my receipt someone opens my front passenger side door and steals my purse and my phone out of my car. Ian saw the whole thing and still talks about the robbers. Emma had no clue what was going on but gave me big hugs when she could tell that I was upset. Needless to say the rest of the week was quite interesting...life with no phone, no money, no drivers license, no library card, no Harris Teeter card, no health insurance cards....quite interesting. I have to say that I think I am still recovering from everything and from the gazillion trips to the bank with Ian and Emma. We pretty much shut down everything that we had in our names and started a whole new life.

Fast forward to that weekend...my sister's bridal shower. We did a wine and cheese cocktail reception. It snowed ALL day...in OCTOBER! It was a beautiful, comforting, and delicious event. I make cake pops and vow to never make them again.

Ian reaches an all time high when it comes to whining around the beginning of November. It is a trying month. I question whether I am a good Mom, whether I have what it takes, whether we should send Ian to boarding school at age 3.5, and whether I should go back to work full-time. Instead another part-time job that will start in the new year falls into my lap and I take it.

Then Thanksgiving comes. We drive to Pittsburgh and meet the two new additions to the Chapman family: Finnean and Olivia. They are so precious and teeny tiny. I immediately want another baby. We spend a few days in Ohio with Tim's grandparents. Ian gets up close and personal with some deer eating at the waters edge and some geese. He also learns how to chop wood. We use our time away to recover slightly from the "wrath" of the Fall...post October 25th.

December comes with a bang. We throw our annual Christmas party. This year's theme is Christmas in Paris. I make 25 loaves of brioche bread. My friend marinates salmon in 2 cups of grapefruit zest for three days. We have an amazing yet exhausting weekend with friends and family. I take a trip to my parents to recover from the party.

And then it is Christmas. Tim, Ian, Emma, Pippin, and I travel to my parents on Christmas Eve. We have a few hours to spare and then off to church, back home for tons of laughter with the Reimold clan, and then off to bed. Christmas is slow and fulfilling. Ian and Emma make out big time. We all rest up after a traditional dinner.

Emily's wedding festivities begin the next day...bachelorette at Limoncello in West Chester (the best spare rib raviolis ever!), pedicures, fittings, hair appointments, reminiscing, a really neat rehearsal dinner in a wine cellar, and then the wedding. Ian walks down the aisle, Emma won't. The ceremony is lovely, sweet, and most importantly short. The reception is wonderful, fabulous, a blast. We get to catch up with family and friends. Ian and Emma attempt to dance and then decide that they want to cling to Tim and I instead. I remember looking around and realizing that we are blessed with so many incredible family and friends. It is a perfect way to end the holidays and the year.