Monday, January 10, 2011

Back to reality, one Kingston stronger

Hooooooey! It has been a looooong couple of weeks, let me tell ya. I don't think Dan and I have even gotten 24 hours to ourselves since about December 22nd. Between a pre-Christmas visit from our friend Daniel, celebrating Christmas, and the arrival of friends and family for David and Alex's wedding, things have been go-go-go for about three weeks. Not to mention, year end close at work happened last week. Looking back on it all makes my head spin, quite honestly.

Obviously, Christmas was great. My company is pretty awesome and gives us the following week off as a perk of the job. Oh, how I needed it. I was getting pretty stabby. I came back to Phoenix on December 28th, after spending the three days following Christmas helping my sister nail down some wedding arrangements. On the 29th, Daniel arrived, and on the 30th, David and Alex got into town. From then until just yesterday, we've seen them all but one day. We all spent New Year's Eve together, circled around a bonfire in my in-laws' back yard. There have been family dinners, friend dinners, tuxedo pick-ups, bachelor party (yes, I went to David's, not Alex's) and then the obvious rehearsal dinner and wedding.

Speaking of the wedding, it was beautiful. David and Alex did a first-look before the wedding ceremony, along with all the family and bridal party photos. After a sweet ceremony that had most everyone in tears, the new Mr. and Mrs. Kingston did their bride and groom photos all around their mountainous , just in time for a gorgeous pink and firey orange sunset. Their pictures are breath-taking, people. The photographers put up sneak peaks about half-way through the reception and I am in awe. And totally jealous. The wedding was fun - we danced all night with friends, and hung out by the many fireplaces with glasses of wine.

On Saturday, we had a BBQ at my in-laws' house to celebrate the new couple. Four of my father-in-law's five siblings, along with their mother, made the trip to Phoenix from all over the country and they joined us and a houseful of friends for Daniel's world famous carne asada. We stayed up late, drinking David's favorite Kiltlifter beer and chatting fireside. Yesterday, Dan and I went home to relax for a bit before heading back for Chinese food and one last night with David and Alex.

And just like that, everyone is gone. Daniel flew back to Hawaii this morning, David and Alex started their 3-day long road trip back to Baltimore. I feel like I have nothing to do when I get home tonight. I'm not used to it. The concept of coming home and cooking and having dinner with only Dan for the first time since before Christmas is completely foreign. I haven't even been in a grocery store in three weeks. This is going to be a week of detox, that's for sure.

1 comment:

Amanda @ It's Blogworthy said...

Sounds like a nice holiday! I know how you feel about getting time to yourself and getting the concept of cooking after people leave. We've had one full day without my Mom and Dad here after 3 weeks and I'm all, "dinner what?" It's pathetic.