i got coal for christmas!

I have to say this past Christmas was definitely one of the best!    I don’t know if it was Mom’s new house or that I just really needed a break from life in DC but it was so nice to be home for those 10 days.  The trip began with a full day of being Aunt Chaz and an awesome I love you voice mail left late one night from Andrea – very awesome message (and yes it is still on my phone)!  Next up was the annual Savage holiday party with Mom’s house decorated beautifully and the food was amazing.  That was definitely the start of visitors coming and going along with me gaining at least five pounds.  I had such a great time catching up with all our Gratiot County family/friends – they are wonderful people. 

Next up is Christmas festivities themselves… we have the tradition of baking our goodies on the 24th, having a nice dinner, heading to church, and sometimes over to a friend’s for desserts.  This year however the dessert party was postponed until after I was already back in DC.  Instead Mom and I came home and just chilled – it was great!  Actually, now that I think about it not only did I spend the whole week eating I spent a good majority of the week on the couch (which is suuuuuper comfortable)!  …maybe that’s why I gained those extra pounds?!

Anyway, so we’re sitting there watching a Christmas movie, counting down the minutes until Santa comes when I heard it… he was coming early to my house!  Normally, he comes to my house just like everyone else is – after I fall asleep.  But this year, he was coming right at mid-night?!  (Can you just see the grin from ear to ear?)  Yup, Mom thought it might be fun to have our little family Christmas a few hours earlier than normal – awesome!!  …and then not so awesome…

I got coal in my stocking!  I don’t know if Santa thought 2010 wasn’t a very good year for me but man, really?, coal?!  …ok, it might have been stuffed with a little money and super cute in its little Santa hat! 

Soon after we headed to Grandma’s and had a chance to play with the rest of the family – always awesome to hang out!  We even got to see a 3-D movie with Grandma the next day – of course along with a little shopping.  In all, it was a very good time at home and fun celebration with all. 

sledding

Ok, I have to admit my new favorite role in life is being Aunt Chaz!    The little ones in my life totally just thrill me and I love them to pieces.  This Christmas I got the chance to introduce one of the little ones to a typical Mid-Westerner holiday activity – sledding!!!

So Mom’s new house has an awesome hill in the back yard -well just right for little ones- and since I had the privileged of hanging out for a full day with one of them and the key to the awesome day was the back yard.  Check out the fun!

highschool football state champs

…that would be my Yellowjackets!    I found out a couple of weekends before Thanksgiving that Ithaca was undefeated and doing awesome for this football season – I equally found out that I was able to watch online, which was so cool.  Then they won all there games and made it to the finals down at Ford Field.   So we switched up our family travel plans and instead of Mom coming here I drove home to see the game.  Thankfully I have a friend/co-worker that is also from Michigan so I had someone to drive with. 

We got in Thursday just in time for our Thanksgivings (Mom came down to Andrea’s and we spent the weekend there).  Friday was the game – it was perfect – had every football emotion one would wish for in a game!  They played so well and the stands were super full… the entire town, plus some, clearly came out for support.  Very good day to be a small town kid!    Then Saturday we, of course, watched MSU and then I went down to meet a friend (one of my AOII sisters) in Greek town for the night.  They were celebrating a birthday, so I tagged along but it was awesome to she her again.  We had a delicious dinner followed with lots of dancing – fun night.   

where’s the birthday girl?

As the world turns… apparently so does our age.  Andrea’s big 3-0 was in October and like the rest of us wanted to celebrate in style!   

I flew in late Friday night and back out on Sunday, due to still being in the probationary period of my new job, but had a blast in between.  Friday, it was just us adults so we went out and enjoyed a few of the newer bars in downtown Plymouth (and apparently the new crazy fashions and bad singing of the young ones – ugh!).  However, Saturday Mom came down in the morning – we went shopping for the new house, ate at JJ’s, and got ready to watch an awesome football game!   Mean while, the Gerbers had planned a very awesome scavenger hunt around the local area full on like the Great Urban Race (or Amazing Race).   It was very cool – there was this list of clues and about 3 hours to finish the race in.  Each team was supposed to dress up – it was hilarious!  The whole day was fun… and I have to say Mom and I were an awesome team!  We might have gotten the least points however we were also the only team to have a stationary vehicle (it was soft comfy and in front of a large screen - if that tells you where I ‘played the game from’)!!!  So below are some of our creative takes on the clues… but in all it was just a fun day and a big Happy Birthday to Andrea!! 

 

I ended my birthday celebration being a super awesome Aunt Chaz… teaching the little one to truly jump in the leaves!!!    Very proud moment!