Giggity giggity....

Just a quick post Christmas recap...

• I found out that my 22 year old niece (my 9th birthday present from my sister-in-law. She was born the day after my 9th b-day) is pregnant and due in September. I'll be a Great Uncle again (for those just joining the programming... her older brother, my 26 year old nephew already has 2 sons). So congrats to the niece and her husband. With 10 grandsons, 2 great-grandsons, and only 4 granddaughters, my mom is keeping her fingers crossed for a girl.
  
• Plum pudding with Brandy sauce is pretty damned good. With a British father-in-law and Kiwi mother-in-law I've been exposed to some non-traditional Christmas fare (at least non-traditional for the US). My wife makes mince pies every year-- so that's become a new tradition. My father-in-law made plum pudding with brandy sauce and my mother-in-law made trifle. All of it was quite excellent.
  
• Moreso than the gifts I received and gave (and I did quite enjoy my gifts and the positive reactions for the gifts I gave) I enjoyed spending time with my in-laws and growing closer with them. With all of my family on the East Coast, when I moved out here to the Midwest, I knew that I'd be giving up being able to spend as many holidays with my family so I'm really treasuring the time spent with the family I've married into.
• The effects of working out are really beginning to show. My stomach is considerably tighter/firmer as are my pecs and my biceps seem to "pop" a bit more. I also feel better overall-- not just physically, but mentally I feel considerably more focused and driven.