I'm sitting here watching Crossroads on CMT. I LOVE that show! Today its Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers. I'm hoping that some day they will produce a DVD set with all of the concerts. I have loved all of them. (Especially Bon Jovi with Sugarland, and Martina McBride and Pat Benetar.)

Dwane and I are just getting back from Boston. Mass A/V had their Christmas Party last night at the Top of the Hub at the Prudential Building. It was lovely. The view was absolutely amazing! (We were on the 50th floor.) There were waiters walking around with little hors d'oers (I have no clue how to spell that). They had bacon-wrapped scallops, spring rolls, stuffed mushrooms, coconut chicken, and shrimp cocktail. They had an open bar (although we just drank Coke and Diet Coke). Supper will pretty much buffet style with salad, clam chowder (good, but a little spicy), thick slices of turkey breast, and roast beef with madiera sauce and hollandaise(?). Both turkey and the beef had a thick pepper coating on the outside, and since I am not a pepper fan, I kindda scraped that off, but I really like the madeira sauce. The desserts were unbelievable. The Samoset is pretty impressive with their dessert buffets, but this was just amazing. They had these thick chocolate cups with a chocolate mousse thing inside. They had chocolate cream rolls. All kinds of things. They were all so beautiful. There was a short award ceremony after dinner, where employees were honored for their years of service. Then there was dancing to a DJ. We didn't stay for the dancing, as it was after 10:00 at that point. And we had a 30 minute walk back to our hotel in 30 degree weather with 30 mph winds.

Oh--the hotel! We stayed at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Courtesy of Dwane's company. What an amazing thing! Especially since today is our 11th wedding anniversary. The whole thing was like a free "second honeymoon"!

We woke up about 5:45 this AM. Our throats were incredibly dry, and the air seemed "dirty" (from the city, I think--definitely not from the hotel). Anyway, we figured we might as well get an early start. Besides, this was the first time I had left Caleb overnight, and I was anxious to get home. We had breakfast at IHOP in the area of Portsmouth, NH. I eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and a caramel apple crepe, which was really good. We stopped at a couple of stores to find little gifts for the boys, and then stopped for an early lunch to have chicken and biscuits at Popeye's, and a Cinnabon for dessert. We made it back to Mom's at about 2:45 this afternoon.

Although I had a really great time, I also did a lot of crying today. I think it was being in Boston. It seemed like everywhere I looked there were memories of my Dad. I don't think it is the holiday season--I think it was being in Boston. I told Dwane that if we had been in NYC, I don't think I would've been as emotional. It was being in Boston, where Dad had so many doctor's appointments. And I'm so proud of my Mom--now that I've taken the route that they always took, I can't believe that my Mom drove in that traffic. I'm not sure that I could've done it. I know she would say that you "have to do what you hae to do." Still--it just reminds me about just how much of a saint my mother really is. I love you, Mom.