My new home

Here I am, back in LA, and I realize I consider it home now. It was really nice to go back East and see and do all that I was able to fit in but by the end I was excited to return to my life here--b/c it's now my home. And that's a good feeling b/c after the ups and downs and all the changes this year brought, it's nice to feel like I'm coming out on top.

While I was back east it was a bit of a rollercoaster--good times and hard times but all in all it was wonderful to spend the time there. I loved hanging out with my family and just knowing that they are all there and well and we're all hanging in after the 10 months we've had. We had a lovely Hanukkah celebration on my last night and we kept to all the same traditions we did when Mom was here. The kids loved it and kept it real, it was nice. Not the same, but we made the best of it and enjoyed ourselves. The meal was even pretty darn good.

I was also able to spend time with many of close dear friends--including a trip up to NJ and NY to see my college friends. Really nice times, some pics included. I got to meet Steve and Rachel's new baby girl, Tatum, what a total sweetheart. They are in the the throws of zero sleep but it was wonderful that I was able to drop by with a gift for the lil one and even have one of Steve O's homemade waffles :) And of course I got my Philadelphia time in with the Drebys and Kelly and Mike--good dinner and some football with Todd & Tracy on Sunday. Speaking of football, I also convinced Dad and Jake to join me and Adam at the Eagles Texans game--it was damn cold but a great game and we all had fun, once in a lifetime :) A trip home also always includes my 3 besties from growing up--we even got to celebrate Margaret's birthday together and I finally got to meet little Linden, who is just precious. And finally I loved my long lunch and walk in the city with Chrissie, wish we could do that more often. Such amazing friends, don't know what I would do without them....despite the distance, I know that we are each other's biggest supporters.

So despite having a horrible cold the whole time and feeling pretty run down, I enjoyed my tour of PA/NJ/NY and now have returned back to LA. Resting up today as I gear up for what I'm sure will be a long week back at work.