The Super Long Post

Ok, Here it is…our super duper up-to-date what we’ve been up to post.

Where did we leave off?

My birthday…Adam made me my favorite cake. It wasn’t as good as moms, but it was pretty good…especially for breakfast.

Ok, on to the rest of December:

After much contemplation I did something that I’ve never done before.

Put up a fake tree.

GASP!!

After my birthday (which is the ok date to put up a tree) Adam had to work a few nights…making our tree time limited. But I decided that 1. we must have a tree 2. it was silly to go out and buy a tree to put up for a week only to leave it to die.  So on a Tuesday night he pulled his fake tree out of the attic and I plugged in a pine scented air freshener thing. We played Christmas music and drank eggnog while we had fun unpacking our ornaments.  The joke of  the night: Look a ballerina ornament…ya, I said that at least 7 times.  We probably only have 20 different ornaments…so it’s a pretty big ratio.  Scooby Do was #2 with 4 and the Smurfs followed with 2.

When we finally finished christmafying the house we sat back and enjoyed the view…and it began to feel a little more like Christmas.

The next week was spent finishing up last minute detail before we took off.  We had a nice evening BBQ-ing at Krista’s house where we ended up staying up till almost 3am playing a board game! (that is rare for me!) The next day, we got to go skating at the Forum for Adam’s Christmas party.  It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. Then later while wasting time before church we drove around the neighborhoods looking at all the lights on the houses (trying to still get in the spirit-it’s hard to do in Florida!) Then right before we headed to the 7pm service, I looked at the bulletin in the car and realized that while we were wasting time before mass…mass was going on. oops. Mental note: Sunday night service is at 6pm!!!

Thursday before Christmas my office had a “party” of sorts. My boss took us out for the afternoon on his boat and we drank champagne and toured downtown via river. 

I had to leave early since we were heading to North Carolina that day, so Adam picked me up and off we went to the Tar Heal State. (Adam hates that name)

Christmas. This was my 1st year not spending Christmas with my family. And you know what…I was ok and I know they were all glad we were there.  We had a great time with Adams family.  We had a lovely dinner Christmas eve-and everyone pitched in. 

Adam and I went to mass at a very very small church in a neighboring town.  I’m talking 3 people to a pew small! Adam actually sat behind me! Welcome to the south where the tea is sweet, the biscuits hot, and the Catholics few.

Christmas morning poor kylie was still sick-but we had fun watching her open her gifts and putting them together so she could play. 

Zoe was a trooper and open up her gifts like a pro ;)

And yes, Aunt Stephanie Made the girls matching outfits.

   Grandpa loves his girls…

We had a nice lunch before everyone had to head to other Christmas's and we stayed on with Russ and had a quiet evening of cards, movies and leftovers. 

On Monday we were able to spend the afternoon back at Alyssa's before heading back to Tampa.

Kylie got her own trampoline for Christmas…and she had a blast jumping.

 

We got home around 1 am and were greeted by happy dogs.  I quickly dumped out my suite case and loaded up what I could.  I was leaving the next morning for Michigan.

Yep. I was busy. 4 states in 24 hours.

Adam dropped me off at 10:30 am the next morning before he went to work. He had to stay behind, as it was a busy event full week at the Forum. We said our goodbyes and I boarded yet another AirTran flight for Grand Rapids.

Felicia picked me up and we headed to Pentwater, arriving just in time for cocktails.  We exchanged gifts and had a fun night playing games. 

The rest of the week was spent relaxing and having an overall good time. Teaching Jen how to be Polish

Quality time with Ms Gretta Lee

The night before Jonathans birthday we took the big 22 year old to the antler and showed him a good time.

WARNING…UNATRACTIVE BAR PICTURES…

Then the next day we had a family get together and it was great seeing some of my cousins…some who I hadn’t seen since my wedding!  Dad took everyone for a ride in his new duck-6-wheeler. all the kids thought they were at Walley World. They packed right in! 

Joseph and Jen left mid day on Thursday, so by the time Friday rolled around it was pretty quiet.  I was able to see my oldest friend, Joelle, and catch up with her an her family. And we even got to tour the old house she used to live in. Talk about flashbacks!

My last night in town we headed to the eagles bowling lanes (an old high school hangout!) it was $1 night-$1 shoes, $1 games AND $1 Beers. Only in Oceana County!

The big Labowski!

Saturday Jonathan and I headed out and and I hopped back on a plane back to Florida.  Adam had left a car at the airport for me (uggg that’s a story in itself)

Quick version: In an effort to save $ on Cab fare, he dropped a car off the day before. But then spent $124 getting back home (a trip to the casino is cause for $100 of it!)

Anyway. I headed into town on New Years Eve where Adam was finishing up work, but by 10:30 I was tired and anxious to get home. so I rang in the new year sitting on the couch, eating mac n cheese watching a lame 90’s movie while bruiser barked at Busch Gardens fireworks display. It was perfect-and just what I needed.  Adam came home around 12:30. We spent the next day with friends and finished it relaxing at home. 

So that’s our holidays in a nut shell…or a really long blog post.

Happy New Year! May 2012 be your best year yet!!