Happy New Year! Welcome 2014.

Hello 2014.

I know that none of us can quite believe the New Year is here, but I give it welcome, regardless. It's been lovely being on vacation, especially with the gorgeous sunny weather, and I'm still swimming in delicious denial that today's my last day off. I had all kinds of tasks set to accomplish this past week, but instead the days rushed by without much getting checked off the list. The closets didn't get cleaned out; I didn't make the many trips to donate all of our extra stuff that I was hoping to get to; the Christmas decorations are still up, including the half-of-them-are-not-working outside lights.

Instead, I spent time with my girl and Ron and Teddy. I took naps and slept in. We watched the ball drop last night on TV on the East Coast feed, cuddled up on the sofa together while Teddy had a blast shredding a cardboard New Years hat. We took a little two day to trip to San Francisco, ate lots of good food and got Chloe a new lunch box. Teddy romped with friends at the river, Chloe made movies on her new phone, and I picked the last of my Meyer lemons and made salad dressing and a big pot of vegetable soup, rich with yams and kale and garlic, and even managed to eat it all. I pruned some of the roses, visited with friends and family and downed far too many of Cindy's homemade lemon squares, read a couple of terrific books and watched some Hawaii Life on tv.

Plus, I only yelled at Chloe once and got in one fight with Ron. Which were both totally my fault and on the same day. So I'm giving myself a gold star for that category.

All in all, such a nice break. So wonderful to have a chance to just slow down and be. I figure the closets will be there when I get to them.

2014, bring it on, I'm rested and ready for you.

Chloe, Market Street, San Francisco.

Lunch at Max's, one of our San Francisco traditions.

My favorite Christmas present...

I'm sensing a theme here.

My Mom and Cal. Christmas is for hugs.

Love these two.

To wrap this up, a little New Year's Day happiness, courtesy of my vlogging daughter and her Christmas phone. Filmed at Garcia Bend Park and The Sacramento River, edited in the backseat on the ride home. How I do love imovie, and my kid. Enjoy.

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