Digging out. (But in a good way.)

Sorry for the delay since my last post. I lost my computer.

Seriously. It was right were I left it -- on my desk -- but it was buried under wrapping paper, empty wine glasses and cookie crumbs.

Ever since Christmas morning, the adults in the house have been on vacation. We've slept more, cooked less and have put general housekeeping on the back burner. We've subsisted on cheese and sausage and the healthiest food served has been baby carrots smothered in ranch dip. (The good stuff -- not that fat-free crap.)

One late afternoon, as I sat knitting in my pjs, The Deuce approached and nervously asked, "Aren't you going to feed us lunch?"

"I did," I said, gesturing toward the spread of holiday snack-goods on the table. "Go for it."

You'd have to be a fool to starve in this house the week between Christmas and New Year's.

It's not like I've been totally unproductive. For being on vacation, I've had surprisingly little Couch Time. Instead, I've been spending as much time as I can in my guest room-slash-sewing room. After buying a used Singer last fall, I've had precious little time to use it.

So, this break, I've reacquainted myself with the machine - and it's been fun. Armed with a few new books on sewing, I've been dazzling and impressing the kids by making rag dolls from their outgrown clothes. Each doll is better less worse than the last and I'm learning something new with each one I make.

This vacation has been so restful and so wonderful. I'm sad that it's now half way over. Maybe my New Year resolution will be to figure out how to find some restful vacation time during our busy workweeks.

I resolve to remember to take time to watch for deer robbing the bird feeder. To cuddle under a warm blanket and sew at least twice a week. And to let the kids fend for themselves every once in a while.

I'll tell myself it's building character --

theirs and mine.