This past week has been fraught with frenzy. We've traveled 1400 miles round trip for a Thanksgiving stay in New York City (or as Chase calls it, "You Nork"). What a lovely trip, too, amid all of the hustle and bustle that is New York.

I generally have a solemn vow to avoid things such as Black Friday shopping, however found myself smack dab in the middle of Macy's on 34th Avenue in Manhatten on Black Friday this year. Desperately holding on to two children and hoping that they were mine. Wondering how anybody can find anything to buy when I am giving every last iota of my energies to just getting through the store.

Yes, an exciting and fun trip to the Big Apple, but still, so nice to come back home to the quiet, calm normality of our lives.

The boys went back to school today and brought home their December calendars. Yikes! There are only 3 weeks before Christmas break? That can't be right! Well, time to break out the Advent Calendars anyhow. We'll just let the remaining decorations sit there and call out to me until I can no longer stand it. Shopping looms in the very near future. Gatherings are already planned.

I should ask my mom if she worried about the same things I do. How did she handle December? Did she enjoy the season with her family or did she worry about the shopping, decorating, baking, card-sending and everything else that goes into making the Holidays "magical" for our kids. This time of year sure does make me long for the carefree days of childhood. It was just so magical . . .Mom set too high a standard, maybe.