I thought for Christmas this year I would give you the gift of updates :) You can check this blog to find stories about things you might miss while you're away. For example, I will post pictures and stories of Michael's first Christmas and the birth of my kid. I will give everyone in the family access to this blog and they can update it too. Then, when you feel homesick you have a site to visit that's just for you.
Merry Christmas!