Year of the Ox begins

Happy New Year. Hello coast to coast, U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, so glad you stopped in even if you all are not much for commenting these days -- with one devoted exception: Auntie Norma. Hope you are all happily downing left overs and enjoying the last two days together before everyone returns to work and school once more.

We kicked off the New Year with a little hunting trip down to Santa Cruz. It is located on the Santa Gertrudis (the same name as the famous cattle bred down here, who are, incidentally, 5/8 short horn and 3/8 Brahman to be heat and tick resistant and perhaps, above all, show good mothering and abundant milk supply, but I digress...) division of the King Ranch. We were lucky enough to go during a combined week of quail and dove season. Everyone had a good time -- even little Evelyn had her moments of hambone-y glory with a big audience that included all of us plus Uncle Lee and Aunt Cinda.

In the week between Christmas and now, we've had a few milestones. Evelyn has given up calling me "mama" altogether for my much prefered "Mommy" YEAH! Paige had an ear infection that resolved itself even though we went to the doc's to get a script for the trip just incase. Evelyn had a wad of innoculations, and Al went with me to share in that not-so-delightful event. And Graham has mastered the art of shoelace-tying very well.

They are all out putting while Ev sleeps and I do laundry. I'm still typing this on my old pc, but my wafer-thin Mac Air is up and running, I just have to get my files transferred over before I get to experience what so many of my friends are promising will be a near-religious conversion. Can't wait!