The Best December Ever-

December 2006 was a spectacular month-And not just in my house. One of my dearest friends finally had her dream come true. After many years of yearning she now has her beautiful little angel. In fact, she is the most beautiful angel I have ever seen. This little angel was meant to be hers. It's no longer a table for three for them! Love you Momma of Two!!

My Brain has suddenly turned into this handsome sensitive man child. When he awoke on his 12th birthday (My Christmas Angel) I realized that there might not be many more mornings of him waking up wanting his back scratched or 2 more minutes of snuggles before we start our day. I mourn for the loss of my baby, yet I look forward to watching him find his way in this world.

My Turtle has always been a loving little Momma's boy but this year he got to go shopping for his Mommy for Christmas-Something he has never done before. I have never seen the disillusioned and overworked cashiers/boxers at Price Club move so quickly to help a little guy keep a gift from his mother hidden from her. I have also never been banished to the far end of a store so that he could shop without me. As it turns out he not only got me a Willow Tree Angel for my collection (He chose one that meant something for the both of us.) he picked out a *beautiful* silver Mothers charm bracelet for me. Brain was a wonderful and thoughtful boy again this year too. He picked out another Willow Tree Angel and bought me a new journal so that I can continue my ramblings into 2007.

I have also found that I can enjoy someones company and not feel like I'm jumping onto the relationship train. I have found that dating is not such a terrible thing and that I can do it without all of the drama I feared would follow.

Christmas was a holiday filled with old and new traditions. It was the first Christmas the boys and I were 'on our own' in probably 5 or 6 years. We started a new tradition-Christmas Eve Dinner before Mass with my parents and brother at our house. Even though Turtle sang at last year's Children's Mass this one was just as special. Brain sang every single song and held the book so I could sing too as Turtle had curled up in my lap to sleep before it even started. My annual tradition of wrapping like a mad woman Christmas Eve held true this year-I was wrapping and watching movies until the early hours of Christmas Day. I awoke to the boys jumping all over me in excitement and Brain having made my coffee. The unwrapping of the prezzies was glorious-The pure excitement on both of their faces with every gift rivaled any Christmas *ever*.

I spent the last Saturday of December with two of my closest friends in our nation's capital for the Trans Siberian Orchestra's final concert of 2007. Again it was a kick ass show-Even better than the one we saw earlier in December if that is possible. Though I tend to think our mindset before, during and after the show was a huge part of our killer time. It was a kid-free 25 hours and it was wonderful! Peachtinis at the hotel bar, over packed Metro trains with football fans heading to a game (Yay Giants!!), the hilarious guy rapping for booze money outside the Verizon Center, yummy burritos, great music, great wine, meeting new people as well as getting to know some I had already met, more great wine and card games into the night, waking up without kids, a decadent and leisurely breakfast before heading home..It was a well deserved break for all of us and something we need to do more often than every 3 years.

You would think that after such a wonderful month we'd try be rocking out on the last night of 2006. Nope we were very low key. We munched Chinese take out and hung out with friends until some of the kids were too tired to play nice and Brain and I rung in the New Year snuggled on our own sofa with our trusty doggy asleep at our feet and Turtle tucked in his bed fast asleep.

As I ponder my list of resolutions/goals for 2007 trying to make them obtainable I realize that 2007 is going to be a spectacular year for the Three Musketeers.