What?? It's already 2008??

So, I'm a little late in posting these holiday pictures, but better late than never, right? Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's came and went with their usual lightning pace and packed schedules. Bill's surgery rotation is going well, but he definitely enjoyed his two week break. We spent a good amount of time going to holiday parties--I wish I had taken pictures at Crystal's "Holiday Sweater" party! As you can see from the picture below, Otis' holiday sweater this year is a monkey sweater--too cute!
We spent Thanksgiving in StL, hosting my parents and Granny the night before at our new house. The Schnarlsons joined us and were treated to a traditional Holt Family dinner, Dad doing haiku and all. Bill's Uncle Tom and "Aunt" Amy stayed with us for the weekend and we rotated between the Randazzo and Hucker functions (the Holts were in NYC and SC). I actually spent all of November working on a major project, so I spent a lot of that weekend sneaking in work whenever I could.
Christmas was in Quincy, and if the real estate gods favor my parents it was the last at 300 S. 18th. I will cry if I think too much about it, but I know that the house is just too much for the two of them and it's time for another family to enjoy the home. Still, the house is like a member of the family and everyone will have tears in their eyes when the move comes. I hadn't been home since Holtapalooza in June (6th months!) and it was really nice to spend some quality time in Quincy--plus, we had a white Christmas which was beautiful. I have developed the unfortunate knack for bat detection, having found a bat in the house each time I'm home! Holtapalooza: I was taking my Aunt Laurie and her kids down to the family room and saw a bat hanging on the wall--I was very proud of myself that I didn't scream. Come Christmas, I was taking to Dad in the dining room and looked up to find a bat suspended on the tapestry, over the organ. Great. I did scream that time--my father calmly finished his lunch before he collected the bat hunting kit and released it into the wild (or the front bushes). Gross.
We went to see the Axners for New Years--while it was snowy and cold, I guess it wasn't as cold as I expected....my new boots and vest were pretty cute so I might just someday be talked into moving to Minneapolis, but we'll see. We finally got to meet Cheddar and he looked very scary in his new bad-ass skull and crossbones sweater. The Axners know how to throw a party, but unfortunately for Bill, he doesn't quite have the shotgunning ability as Trevor. I received a BWE award for my 4am vomit cleanup skills (while Bill slept!!).

I had to go to Phoenix for work the next day and managed to thaw out before returning to St. Louis. We have a surprise trip coming up and I go to Florida in March with Granny. Our Africa trip is slowly gaining steam, but we've put the money away and have a trek company picked out--now all we need to do is figure out when we are going. For now, it's back to work for both of us--Bill's surgery rotation changes to cardio thoracic this upcoming week so he's excited to get back to heart issues. I am going to a Missouri delegate meeting tomorrow night....I might just become a delegate at the DNC Convention!!!!