5 Things for the last week of 2012

1. It’s Christmas Eve and dinner is done, the presents are wrapped and the girls have just gone to bed. I’ve got Christmas tunes playing on the iPad and taking care of some last minute things. This is one of my favorite times at Christmas. We just finished a wonderful dinner as a family, with good conversation and food. I love the house at this time. It’s relatively quiet, the Christmas lights are still glowing and the excitement of Christmas morning is around the corner. I’m ready.

2. Finally went to see the new 007 movie this week. I’d say its pretty good, a little slow early on but it finishes with lots of action, chases and killing. That’s what James Bond is about! I’ll give it a four out of five.

3. I’m feeling pretty good about my knee surgeries after eight and four weeks respectively. Think the progress is good and I’m going mostly pain free right now on both knees. The bills though are a mess. I paid for most of it up front but now the insurance stuff is coming in, surgery and doctor statements and all of them have unknown codes and secret handshake stuff that is going to take a while to decipher.

4. One of the most satisfying phases of parenting is happening for Julie and I right now. That’s the part where you get to see your kids make giant strides in self reliance, good choices, self discipline and self motivation. My girls are both doing so well in college, not only making high grades, but making great decisions in choosing friends, choosing directions dn doing what it takes to get to the right place. I’m a proud parent.

5. Finally, Merry Christmas!