Puppy's First Christmas et. al.

I've fallen off the blog bandwagon for a few weeks, but I'm back! Here's what we've been doing:

December 20th: We celebrated Christmas with my family. We made the gingerbread houses and opened gifts from each other. This year was Sam's family's Christmas, so my parents plan to celebrate a week before or after the official day. I'm pretty sure I posted pictures from this day, but if not, I'll post some later.

December 22nd: Sam and I celebrated Christmas, just the two of us (make that three with Cleo). Sam made dinner for me and then we exchanged gifts. Among other things, he got me some perfume and a beautiful pearl bracelet to match the necklace he got me for my birthday!

December 23rd: After a day of holiday partying at school, we hopped in the car and traveled to Neenah to spend time with Sam's family.

December 24th: We spent Christmas Eve with the Neubauer side of the family. We had a great meal, homemade egg nog, and dessert before heading to church.

December 25th: We started Christmas Day by opening presents from Sam's parents. We got some great things! Next we had a great breakfast of eggs benedict and monkey bread. Later in the day, the LeCompte side of the family came over for another wonderful meal!

December 26th: A lazy day. I took Cleo for 2 walks while Sam and his dad removed carpeting from his grandma's condo. They are trying to get it into shape so they can sell it soon.

December 27th: We headed home before bad weather struck. Once we got home, it really felt like winter break had begun. Time to be lazy, relax on my own bed/couch, and answer to no one...NOT EVEN SAM :)

December 28th: Lazy day. Nothing to report.

December 29th: My cousin Karen was in town. She called to see if I wanted to join her, Linnea, and Adam at Nickelodeon Universe in the MOA. I met them there after quite the wait to get into the parking ramp. Once inside, I knew that it was going to be a mad house! I finally found them among the rides and we decided that it would be best to go somewhere less crowded. So, on to Chuck E. Cheese's! It was fun :) Then I had to leave for the dentist and finally end the day with a haircut.

December 30th: To be honest, I can't quite remember anything going on. Let's just say I slept in and watched my soap.

December 31st: Watched Noodle in the morning so that Blair and Shanna could go to the Gopher basketball game. I swear I heard Natalie say "auntie" and I think I even got it recorded, but I may be hearing it just because I want to. I then started getting ready for our New Year's Eve party with my family. I've never hosted a NYE party for my family, but since we had so many of them in town, we thought, why not? So, we made a few appetizers and got a few drinks and waited for our guests to arrive. Needless to say, NO ONE went home starving! We didn't have enough room on our counters or the butcher block, so I had to get a card table from the basement to put more food out! WAY TOO MUCH FOOD! It all was so, so good though and it was fun to be together. Lots of laughing, lots of smiles...that's what this time is all about! Everyone left by 10:30, which was fine. Sam and I got to ring in the New Year together and everyone got home safe and sound. I think I like the idea of having a low-key party at home...no ridiculous covers to get into a club, no waiting for cabs, no worrying about what to wear...All was good!

January 1st: Happy 2009! Another lazy day. As a teacher, you have to like lazy days. We don't get many (I can hear people saying..."but you get the summers off." Yeah, yeah.)

January 2nd: Blair had Karen over for snacks and invited me too. We had a good time watching Natalie play with toys.

January 3rd: Shopping, grocery shopping, and a little more shopping. We wanted to get iPhones, but they will cost us $400 if we want them before it's time to upgrade. I'll have to wait until February and Sam has to wait until May. Don't know why there's a difference, but we'll have to spend another hour on the phone with ATT to figure it out.

January 4th, today: Slept in, did some sudoku (pretty addicted), went to see Seven Pounds with my dad. Sam went to the Vikings game with Blair, Jason, Adam, Linnea, Aunt Vivi-Ann and Uncle Jim. Yes, you read right. Sam and Vikings in the same sentence. I'm a little shocked myself. I'm waiting for him to come home right now.

January 5th, tomorrow: School. While at school, I'll be thinking, "when's spring break?"