Guilt, obligation, and the nonsense that ensues:

Holiday cards are my topic of conversation today.  I know it's Valentines day, but stay with me.  I have been sending out holiday cards since my first born was a little guy... so 10 years (give or take).  It has never felt entirely comfortable to me, but I've sent them out anyway.  I think part of the reason is a constant feeling that I am bad at corresponding, and always falling short.  Holiday cards always seem like a way to redeem myself-  To make up for not sending a thank you card back in September when an Aunt sent a gift to one of my boys, or for not remembering to send a birthday card... you know what I mean.  

Anyway, every year around Thanksgiving or so I start thinking about getting everyone together for the "annual family portrait" and generally by the first week in December I have pinned down the boys, gotten the shot and ordered the photo cards from shutterfly.  So far so good.

This is where I start to slide.  Usually when the cards come I have a burst of productivity... this year I got through the letter G and had them mailed before the 18th!  But then I sputtered to a screaming stop.  Time passed-- Christmas passed and I was relieved I had the foresight to make the cards say Happy New Year-- I still had a week before they would be late!  But New Years passed too.  In fact all of January slipped by and still, only my loved ones who are lucky enough to have a name in the first 7 letters of the alphabet had received my well wishes.  What do I do?

Genius strikes!  I order Valentine cards!  This way I  can jot a quick note, apologize for my tardy new year wishes, enclose the Christmas pic, and be back on track!  

I have mailed out 15 of these cards.

I'm up to letter L.

Today is February 14th.

Now what do I do with these Valentines?  and the extra new year wishes?  

sigh.