Happy 2012!

I know I've said this more than once, but there is no day (or actually, night) where it is more true than this year's New Year's Eve! WOW, HAVE OUR LIVES CHANGED!

NYE was a relatively low-key night for us compared to past years! Gone are the plans 3 months in the making, the friends from all over the US getting together at some fun location, or even the wild nights out at a bar or NYE Ball or Gala. What has replaced all of that is almost just another night at home, instead with a few friends, neighbors and family. Dancing out on the dance floor (ok, so in my case, dancing on bar tops, table tops and chairs) has been replaced by a dance party in our family room with a handful of kids, all under the age of 6. Various shots have been replaced with various appetizers and stumbling in at the crack of dawn has been replaced with some falling asleep on the floor by 9am (Brian Schenk!) and the rest of us fast asleep as soon as our head hits the pillow at 1am.

Despite all of this change, I wouldn't want to start off a New Year any other way than to have my husband by my side, my beautiful daughter upstairs fast asleep in her crib and family and friends around to celebrate - and to actually remember it the next morning!

Here's to hoping that 2012 is full of "less" - less time away from my loved ones, less stress, less sickness, less sadness and heartbreak, and sure, maybe a little less meat on my rear! Happy 2012!