happy new year! (plus some holiday snapshots)

It's 2010!

May this year be filled with hope, dreams, adventure, and all that joyful stuff.

This post is rather late, as I ushered in the new year in bed with a 101-degree fever. Yes, I got sick, even after having received a flu shot. It started with unusual body aches one day. I thought, hmmm, maybe I need to do more stretches. So I practiced more yoga. The next day we flew back home, and the day of travelling -- flights, layovers, etc -- took its toll. The following day, New Year's Eve, I ran a fever which lasted for 2 days. Well, four bags of Ricola (and still counting), 2 boxes of tissues (I'm loving Puffs with Vicks), lots of ibuprofen, and one 8-ounce bottle of Tussin later, I am still not fully recovered. I finally went to the doctor and was prescribed a round of antibiotics (note to self: take some probiotics too!). I don't think I've been this sick in a LONG time.

I haven't even been in the frame of mind to reflect on the year that has been, and write and visualize my 2010 will-do's. That will follow in a later post.

On a more positive note... Here are some snapshots from my holiday celebrations with my family:

A hanging mobile in my niece's bedroom

PEEKABOO!!!
My 16-month-old niece in her playpen

The magic of jumbo blocks

Waking up to the comfort of breakfast pancakes

Many lazy mornings like this -- witnessing the sheer joy and spontaneity of my nephews and niece at play. Morning sunshine streaming in through the window blinds. Being fully present.

The blessing of a birthday celebration... on the same day as my brother and sister-in-law's tenth year wedding anniversary.

The joy of a home-cooked, lovingly prepared meal...

... and the wine to go with it.
This is from the wine cellar of a friend of the family. Before you get shocked, I only took a couple of sips of each of the 4 Pinot Noirs we tasted... and then I was as red as a beet. (I won't post photos of that... heehee.)

Festive dishes to go with the meal...

... and a lovely table setting of flowers that remind me of home...

... and a sense of gratitude for nature's bounty, that somewhere in the world it is warm enough for fruits to grow, so that we can enjoy them.

(photo taken by my brother)

And many other moments of breaking bread together -- sharing meals, fancy or simple -- with family and friends.