My definition of happiness

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Christmas eve elves

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AppleApple discovers something else she'd like to do: learn how to play the cello!

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Settlers of Catan and butter beer

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cousin love

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Santa, with pillow-enchanced profile 

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er, too much butter beer?

Tomorrow is my birthday. I usually get all philosophical right about now. But today I don't feel philosophical. I feel busy. Tired. Happy. Surprised, though I shouldn't be, by the ongoingness of laundry and dishes. And these people I live with keep needing to eat.

We enjoyed four consecutive days of Christmas celebrations with various parts of our extended family, and some friends, too, although my camera didn't make it to every event.

For the record, that's four consecutive Christmas dinners: ham, ham, paella, and turkey.

I embraced the excess, then wondered why I felt so sluggish on yesterday morning's run. Especially because I took Boxing Day morning and did not get out of bed til noon, reading and finishing Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter, in one big gulp.

So many late nights. So many second glasses of wine. So much wheat and butter. Why so sluggish?

Yes, really, Carrie, why.

This morning Kevin rented a full indoor soccer field (huge!) so his U12 boys team could practice. AppleApple and I got kitted out in soccer gear and came along. It was 90 minutes of blissful scrimmaging, the boys' team against everyone else -- adults, friends, siblings. AppleApple was the only girl, and I was the only woman, and I'll admit I felt a little intimidated going in. I'm thankful to have joined that team last spring, because all I can say is: soccer ... so fun! It would totally be bragging to mention that I scored the sweetest replay-worthy goal (yes, against 11-year-old boys), but I can't help myself. If only I could score goals like that for my current team. Sadly, we don't play against 11-year-old boys, which is not to malign the skills of the boys, who are actually very good, and made us play hard.

Now Kevin is trying to snag more field time. And I think it would be fun to play on a co-ed team together -- taking our marriage to new places, whilst our knees and hamstrings are still in working order. See, this isn't a dream that can really wait for retirement.

"I wish we could play every day," Kev said, and I had to agree. So that's what we'll do if we ever strike it rich.

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