Almost there.

Is it Christmas yet? I have been asking that question for weeks now. I haven't been this excited about Christmas since I was a kid. Really, my excitement is having time off work. I realized the other day that I haven't had a day off (other than labor day and one sick day --where I really was sick) since this time last year!! That's a full year of just going to work, day by day without any vacation whatsoever. In short, I am in need of a few days away from this office desk.

Luckily my office does this wonderful thing where we shut down shop for the entire week between Christmas and New Years. It's all paid and that time off doesn't count against our vacation time. It's a pretty sweet deal.

The past few years, I've traveled a lot during this time. 2 years ago, it was New Years in Paris. Last year Chad and I went on a ski trip to Colorado. Money isn't letting me go anywhere this year though. I'm going to have to save some this Christmas season. Hopefully 2011 proves a little better in the financial area. Here I am enjoying winter 2008 in France. It was really cold and more snowy than normal that year. From clockwise down:
1.) Notre Dam was beautiful
2.) Me on top of the Arc de Triumph
3.) Montmartre
4.) My friend Emily joined me for 12 hours during her layover flight from Germany. We did a Paris monument running spree taking photos at all of the best places in early early morning.