Happy New Year!

I’m so glad 2008 has drawn to a close. This past month was especially tough, because as hard as I tried, I just wasn’t in the holiday spirit.  Our Christmas tree sat for days sans ornaments, our holiday cards stayed boxed up for weeks before I finally sent them out, and missing were the cookies and handmade ornaments that I customarily make for friends and family. It’s odd because the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is usually my favorite time of year.

I don’t think I’m the only one that felt this way. Generally our mantel is covered with holiday cards by mid-December, but this year only two cards sit all alone at one end.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that this is the first personal post I’ve written in weeks. Inundated with product reviews for my Holiday Guide, chronicling my personal life went by the wayside.

I guess you could say that I’ve finally found my blogging ‘niche’. I didn’t just come to this realization, nor did I plan it this way, it just sort of happened. I simply haven’t had much to say about myself or my life lately. Maybe I’m just a teensy-weensy bit down because I miss my husband a little, or perhaps it’s typical post-holiday blues.

On that note… we let our house listing expire in early December, and aren’t sure yet if we’ll put it back on the market in the Spring, or just tough it out for a while. I try not to think too much about the money that we wasted or the time that I’ll never get back due to that entire process which was ultimately a huge failure.

There are more pressing issues. Two of my close family members are sick, and my (estranged) father recently suffered a heart attack. It’s hard to deal with the reality of it all, so we tend to not talk about it much. I often feel guilty for complaining about my situation when I know others have it much worse, yet I still just can’t seem to shake away this ‘blah’ feeling.

I’ve been at my Mom’s since Christmas day, and yesterday afternoon was the first time I stepped outside since I arrived. I missed my high school reunion last weekend entirely on purpose, though I saw all the photos on Facebook and very few of my close friends from back then were even there anyway. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself.

My sis was hell-bent on dragging me downtown to ring in the New Year, but I had no desire to go whatsoever, deciding to spend it at home instead. I expected to put the girls to bed, watch the ball drop on TV and call it a night, but thanks to my little brother and two of my cousins, it promptly turned into an evening of karaoke silliness, lots of laughter, food, and fun. Just what I needed! 😉

So Happy New Year, everyone! I’m welcoming 2009 with lots of hope and cautious optimism that the upcoming year will be better than the last.