Santa gave to us:  33 hours of driving, 2,000 miles, 8 traveled-through states, 5 traffic jams, 6 road constructions, 2 tired parents, 2 relieved kiddos, 164 relatives, 194,857 Christmas presents, 3 much-needed gift receipts (wink), 1 spotty internet connection, 2 days of baking (and laughing uncontrollably) with the "girls", 7-degree weather in Kentucky, 1 bout of freezing rain, 4 sniffly noses, 1 stomach virus....  and a partridge in a pear tree.   We're back, folks.  Our little family took a 12-day Christmas road-trip (a 'la the Griswolds), from Florida to Kentucky (to see my family) then down to North Carolina (Chris' family) and then back down to Florida again.  (Yay for Santa bringing Mama her GPS.... FINALLY!!!!)  Everyone keeps asking us how the drive went.  Um, I wouldn't recommend it!  LOL!  Two children strapped into car seats for 6-, 12-, and 15-hour trips is not a fantastic idea.  Especially when one of the aforementioned children is just getting over a tummy virus.  (Total of 8 family members have had it now in the past three days.  Watch out.)  But sickness aside, we had a really lovely time spending our Christmas with family whom we adore, and who adore us right back.  Lila got to meet -- and get her cheeks and rolls pinched by -- all the aunts and uncles and great-grandparents.... and even a great-great-grandmother (photos of that to come later).  Parker had a wonderful time with his cousins.... and the Wii.  ;)  I don't know who liked the Wii more, by the way... Parker, or the "grown-up" boys in Chris's family (including Daddy!), who found the boxing and baseball games so much fun.  (I'm still on the lookout for the Wii Fit for myself....  gotta lose that "babyfat" while I can still blame it on Lila!)  :)

SWP is still closed for the rest of this week -- just trying to regroup from our trip and nurse the kids back to health.  I've got a few galleries to finish up from sessions right before Christmas break, so clients: watch for those this coming week while I'm behind closed doors and can proof-proof-proof away.  Shooting resumes January 5!  And I have lots of photos to come back and share with you soon as well.  Hope y'all had a beautiful Holiday, no matter what you celebrated!

Here's to a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year in 2009!  *muah* 

**EDITED TO ADD:  My email is still really funky -- I can't see my new messages, or if I CAN see them, I can't reply -- so if you're waiting on a response from me, I will try and get this jam-packed inbox plowed through by tomorrow.  Thanks for your patience!!  :)