First, let me tell you this exchange we had as a family a few days before Christmas:

Jon and Leta return from REI where they have gone to purchase Leta some better shoes for PE class, ones that provide better arch support, don't ask me why I had to share that particular detail, other than maybe it's the holidays and I have not had one coherent thought since driving 4,000 miles back and forth between family parties, none of them including alcohol, so sadly no one ended up naked or face down in a puddle of fruit-cake and vomit.

And everyone got along.

I was all, don't you know I have a website and it is your obligation to provide content? There is a disappointed woman in Bothell, Washington shaking her finger at you, RANGER HAMILTON, for not angrily slamming the front door because NO ONE EVER LOVED YOU. Couldn't you have skipped your meds just one day for the Internet?

So Leta walks in wearing bright blue new tennis shoes and she's carrying two boxes. And I ask her about the content of those boxes and she immediately starts yelling at Jon, "DON'T TELL HER! DON'T TELL HER!" And Jon explains that she has picked out a gift for me and a gift for Marlo. How very thoughtful of her to spend my money on a gift for me. And because I'm a scrooge I say thank you, and also, don't forget you live here RENT FREE.

No really, it was touching and totally cute, and my heart broke loudly into countless pieces, and as she merrily carried the boxes to the Christmas tree she looked over her shoulder and said, "The pants were my idea!"

Second, Happy Holidays! Hope you're relaxing and enjoying these last few days of the year. Thank you for being a part of our lives and for making us feel a little less alone.