Ring out the Old...? :[

Hey everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying your after-Christmas break! This is the one week of the year when our entire family is "off", and we don't have to worry about working in our businesses or doing school or anything of that necessary nature. :) Although it is a habit peculiar of our family to fill up our time with projects--among those looming on the deep, dark, horizon is the cleaning out of our garage. Ahem-ahem-ahem. It is our yearly nemesis, and one I balk against with all the force of a villain being pulled to the gallows. :D
It is so very hard for me to believe that 2011 is pretty much history. I am still puzzling over how in tarnation it could have been a whole 12-month!?! Life was packed to the brim with things this year--so many I hadn't the time to count months and weeks and things so I was genuinely surprised to find myself already at Christmas, having not felt the usual length of the year...maybe it's part of growing up? However it is, I am still unaccustomed to the idea that 2011 is going away.
I don't usually like years with odd numbers, but 2011 went right along with left-hands, cool temperatures, and the color blue! (Ask me about that sometime--it's a strange preference) I'll be sort of sad to see it go, especially since I think I'll start saying Twenty-twelve....all year I've been "old-fashioned" and said "Two-Thousand-Eleven". :] Oh well! :D
Do you have any plans for New Year's? We have an end of the year Generation Joshua open-house party in our area that The Gentleman From Virginia's band (including The Oldest of Many) will be playing for. (In case you hadn't heard, they are pretty great and their band is called "Paid in Full".) :) Then, of course, the next day (New Year's Eve) we will be staying up till midnight. I haven't heard if we are doing anything extraordinary for that...I hope so! :D
Anyway, I hope you are enjoying this holiday week. And how do you like our background? :)

~Rachel

P.S. On a random sort of New-Year's-Fireworks note, I love Sparklers....

Wait. Not that kind. ;)

This kind. I feel dangerous and daring and..sparkly. :)