It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Yes, I've been AWOL for quite some time now.  Closing in on two months.  I meant to step away for only a couple of weeks.  And like so many other things in my life, before I realized it I got swept up in a black hole of time flying by.  It was the best of times.  It was also the worst of times.  Luckily, the good FAR outweighed the bad.

The best of times...

"Falling in Love with Baby Blackburn"

"My Girls"

Thanksgiving weekend we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Grand#2.  More photos coming THIS WEEK of the baby shower extraordinaire!  Can't wait to show you some of the cute decor.  Check back soon. (my goal is to get this Baby Shower post in BEFORE the actual baby makes it's appearance...which is any day now!)

"Who's Got the Cookie"

Quickly following on the heals of the baby shower we went full throttle into Christmas celebrations. I hosted not one, but TWO holiday cookie exchanges at the house this year again.  Both were bigger and better than last years events.  I had cookies coming out of the wazoo for WEEKS! Who am I kidding...they were gone before I could taste each type AND they have now taken up residence ON my wazoo!

"Look who's here again!"
(on our way to see Santa)

As soon as the last cookie party ended (and I mean THAT NIGHT!) Thing #3 was home from Penn State for the holidays...and Grand#1 and her family (aka Things #2 and #2.1) were back from Cincinnati for a nice visit.  Which included our family Christmas party.  The FIRST time we've been able to get a full family photograph in quite a few years. In the meantime, the family has grown considerably.  I swear I heard the staircase moan. Keep in mind...we had eaten a FEW cookies! What you can't "hear" in this photo is a rousing rendition of "Doe a Deer" to keep the babies from crying. As you can see, epic fail.  Might have to blame our voices for that.

"Clan McIntyre"

As in most family gatherings where babies are a relatively new phenomenon...they kinda took center stage.  First Christmas where both my sister and I are both a Mimi and an Omi.

"You're new here, let me tell ya a bit about this family we belong to"

Three days after Christmas we were off.  Thing #3 headed west to Pasadena, California to watch Penn State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl.

"Rose Bowl Bound"

And the Better Half and myself headed east to London where we met up with my BFF and her hubs for the New Year.  Planning on posting more photos of our London excursion next week.  Check back mates, you'll be gobsmacked!

"Ringing up Colin Firth...because I love you Uncle Jamie"
London, England

"Masters of the Selfie"
London,  England

And....I FINISHED MY 365 PROJECT!!!!!!!  Woohoo!  Not sure I'll do that again, but glad I did it once!  Note to self:  Do NOT pick a 365 project during a leap year!  My over achieving arse was committed to 366 freakin' photos!  My last photo of 2016 (or maaaaaybe it was my first of 2017????).  New Years Eve Fireworks in London.  Blimey...gonna be hard to top that next New Years!  Challenge accepted.

"New Years Eve"
London, England
366/366

So it's now 2017.  Thing #3 is back at Penn State.  I still don't have all the Christmas thing-a-ma-jigs down and packed away.  Grand#2 is due any day.  I've got lots of photos to edit.  And yet...here I am still stuck in that Black Hole.  Trying to dig my way out.  Which brings me to,

The worst of times...

"Saying Goodbye"
Homer

Returning from London we picked up Dogs #1 and #2 from the kennel.  All seemed fine.  Thing #3 returned to school a few days later.  And then things went rapidly downhill for Dog#1...our Homer. In retrospect, I honestly think once Thing #3 went back to school, and the holidays were over...he gave in to what ailed him. Those who aren't "dog people" might have a hard time understanding the true depth of sorrow that comes with losing a fur baby.  Homer was closing in on 12 years old.  He was DEF a part of the family.  I was alone when the hard decision had to be made, so I was the one to hold Homer and give him his last kisses.  I guess it is only fair that our fur babies give us so much of their hearts during their lifetimes, that they should take a piece of ours with them when they leave us. RIP sweet HomeBoy.  Forever in our hearts and our family.  Sniff.

And THAT is where in the world I have been, in a photographic nutshell.  Please check back later this week for those Baby Shower pics...sure hope they make it here before Grand#2 makes it into our world!

P.S.  Hoping to be back on a more regular blogging schedule.  Black Holes be damned!

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