Holidays

For the holidays, Steve and I just stayed put here in Alaska.  This was, in part, because we're down to almost no one at the clinic, so I "took one for the team" by staying for the holidays so that others could have time off, and also, in part, because I had asked for a week off in January to go to my friend Lauren's wedding in Mexico, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to have a holiday vacation and the Mexico vacation.  The Mexico vacation was not approved until early December as it was, which was cutting it very close, in my opinion, but the new management did decide that I deserved a vacation after all I've been through, and made it work.  More on Mexico later.

Steve and I were invited to spend Thanksgiving with the Must family at Lauren and Kevin's house in Anchorage.  Lisa Must is Lauren's mom, and my BFF at the clinic.  Her friendship and support have been key in my getting through the last year and a half with some shreds of sanity.  Lauren, her lovely daughter, is also a great friend, and I feel very lucky indeed to be friends with these ladies and their family. 
Here are some pics from our fantastic Thanksgiving with them:

And what could be more Alaskan than having a moose in the front yard?
We had a really wonderful weekend, complete with a girls' day on Black Friday--facials and massages followed by makeovers at Nordstrom and sushi at Haru (with the guys).  We also got to go with Lauren for her dress fitting on Saturday.

She and Kevin were to have their official ceremony in Mexico early this month (more on Mexico later) but as getting legally married in Mexico can be a bit tricky, they decided to have a small, legal ceremony in Kodiak on the Winter Solstice and Mayan Apocalypse 12/21/12. 
The cool thing about this, is that in Alaska, anyone with a drivers license can perform one marriage ceremony, so Lauren and Kevin asked Steve to officiate their ceremony! Reverend Steven was up to the task:

Wes was the photographer.  I think he did a pretty good job!

Christmas was pretty low-key.  Wes and Geoffrey came over Christmas morning, as did Lydia and Josiah, and we opened presents and had breakfast together.  Then, Steve and I were back over to the Must's house that afternoon for leftover Turkey and all the good food that goes with that. 

New Year's was even more low-key than Christmas.  Steve and I stayed home, and didn't have anyone over.  He played Skyrim, and I listened to "Anne of Green Gables" on audiobook and quilted.  It was so perfect!  How are my quilts coming along?  Why, thank you for asking!

These are the three that I have been working on, and have finished piecing.  They're all in queue to be quilted now, and then they will just need to be bound and shipped off to their recipients!  The top one is for Kjersti, and the other two are baby quilts for Carson Jayne and Emma Rose. 

I hope you all also had wonderful holidays!  I'll post about Mexico and other exciting life happenings soon!
Cheers.