Christmas was here and gone so quickly!

Brandon and I both are so anxious in anticipation of Christmas. We are sad when the time seems to come and go so quickly. We are now in discussion as to when our tree and decorations will come down... sadly... very soon.

Dec 24- We went to West Lafayette. We first stopped by Larry & Judy's to wish Judy a very Happy Birthday and to visit for a short while. Then a drive across town to my Mom & Dad's to have our Christmas celebration and gift exchange. This year's highlight was Brandon's scavenger hunt to find his cornhole boards in the garage. They just wouldn't fit under the tree! After presents it was time to prepare our Christmas Eve meal. Larry & Judy came for dinner which has been a tradition since Brandon and I started dating. We enjoy the time together so much and would hate to have Judy cook on her birthday! Then it was time for church and the ability to see friends that we most often see only once a year at Christmas Eve Services. Many come from out of town to spend the holiday with their family in West Lafayette. At the conclusion of the service we left church rather quickly. We helped to get the remainder of our dinner dishes cleaned and my parents made their final preparations for their early morning flight. Brandon and I changed into our jammies and hit the road for Newark. One more year to wake up at Aleesa & Kevin's with the kids. Next year will be different I'm sure with our own little one!

Dec 25- My parents were on their flight as scheduled at 6:50a.m. on their way to Houston to be with Eric & Keira, my Aunt & Uncle and my cousins. Brandon and I were up with the Blair crew at 7:15 which was later than last year. We had a great time opening our gifts and watching the kids' expressions as they opened the gifts they had been wanting all year. This year's highlight with the Blair family was Judy's oven mit money game! I could explain, but trust me, you just had to be there. What a riot! We had another great meal, took some left-overs and hit the road to Cleveland. The Cavs played Washington and I had a few obligations at The Q. What a game!

Dec 26- A day to relax! Brandon and I ran a few errands, had pizza with Dan, Jena & the kids, but also made time for a movie at the theatre! What a treat! We don't do it often, but try to make it a bit of a holiday tradition.

Whew... to look back at the past few days, it sure was busy and a lot of running around. However, to us, it's well worth it and would do it all again tomorrow if given the opportunity. We are blessed to be able to spend time with both of our families during the holidays. Next year we hope the Eric & Keira will have an opportunity to come home.