The title is a bit misleading - because as it turns out, I took shamefully few pictures during this most wonderful and event-filled part of the year! But between my mother's purposeful shots, and my sisters' candids I think I'll have enough to go on! For the rest of this holiday recap, however, you may simply have to use your imagination.
Let's begin where I left off a month ago. The Friday before Christmas was the only day our whole family was gathered at home: my brother had arrived early that morning, and I was scheduled to leave early the next day for Chicago. So as tradition would have it, that was the day we opened our presents! Yes, I know it's terribly unfair for the rest of you who have to wait until Christmas day for all of your sugar plum dreams to come true, but this is the way we've always done because we've always been with extended family in Illinois on the actual 25th; and I can't help the way that makes you feel. I will not bother to relay the details of our surprises and merriment (perhaps another time), but I would like to mention the fact that I got a ukulele!! I was both surprised and elated to find that my parents had read and took note of my Amazon wish list!!
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| "Christmas" morning - me & my ukulele! |
As stated, the next day I took off for Chicago - actually Geneva. I would be staying with old family friends through the weekend during which time I attended their festive English Country Dancing party! This is that moment when I wish I had a picture to illustrate the wonder and simple fun of an English country dance. I did find a video on
YouTube for you curious readers who would like to better understand this lost art (the video is not of our party, but we did do that song, several times actually, though our version grew ever faster until we all basically collapsed!)
The next day, we accomplished the real reason for my visit:
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. Last year we went to the 12am opening night showing, at Chicago's Navy Pier IMAX, in HFR & 3D aaaand we dressed up as Elves! This time around we had neither the time nor desire to go to such lengths for a film we knew would inevitably be disappointing. So we settled for a 3D matinee at a nearby cinema. We *were disappointed, but since we were braced for it, it wasn't half bad: anticlimactic and bittersweet - the final chapter of a story that for me began 14 years ago! (While we're on a YouTube kick, here's a
video for you LOTR fans needing a good weep).
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| #OneLastTime |
After a wonderful time in Geneva, I headed further south to my Hockaday Grandparents' home where my brother and family caught up with me the next day. Our time there for over a week was filled with food, puzzles, Phase10, Andy Griffith, and lots of family!
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| Grand kids & Great-grand kids (missing 14) |
I had a splendid time catching up with family on Christmas day: we are truly blessed! I chose to sit at the kids table during dinner because I figured it would be the most entertaining seat in the house! Actually before even taking my seat, my theory was proven: I asked my cousins' kids if I could join them. "No." Conner replied. "Pretty girls aren't allowed to sit here." ha ha ha! Our discussion ranged from girlfriends to football and somehow ended with "your momma's so skinny" jokes! Later, I was enticed to play games with them. How could I say no?
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| Head-bandz |
I have to put in a plug here for the family preacher - 8 year old Cody. When I say he preached to us on Christmas night, I mean PREACH: opening illustration, 3 points, closing remarks, all complete with tie and Bible (and offering!). Yup, my family is definitely better than yours! :)
Pardon me, but I'm going to clip along here because I'm realizing how little in the way of photographs I have to work with (and call me shallow, but I'm kind of ready for lunch!)! And who wants to read a never ending detailed account of how I rapidly made it to level 20 on Trivia Crack, or how many of grandmother's DELICIOUS cookies I ate? Yes, that's what I thought. So in summary: 12/23-31/14 was spent at Grandma and Grandpa's.
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| Mum's mother & sister (plus us) |
On the 31st, I and my family began our return north: we stopped off in Chicago land for a couple of days to celebrate with my mother's mother and sister. While in town my sisters and I crashed a New Year's Eve party or two: meeting up with friends from my grandpa's old church, people I had grown close to while living there for 8 months.
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| Pre-party with our "cousin" |
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| party number 1 |
With a nasty storm forcasted for Saturday, we all decided that it would be best to travel on a day early: my family back to Wausaukee and I to Rice Lake for friends and work! I spent that first weekend of January catching up with old friends and visiting my old work place and church. Sunday the 4th-8th I attended
American Christian Tours annual staff training - where we were on the clock sharing harrowing and embarrassing stories, laughing with old and new friends, and listing to the inspiring tales of Michael Furchert & Dr. Marshall Foster.
After training, I drove west to visit my old friends now in Minnesota. I spent several days chilling, talking about Planes nonstop with their 2 year old, building train tracks, HotWheel tracks, and block towers for him to destroy with his Jake and the Neverland Pirates sword. Good times!
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| fun times with this little man! |
I've only just returned home from that last visit: just in time for my sister Hannah's birthday! Believe it or not, this "concise" recap barely scratches the surface! Looking back I can't help but thank God for the blessings of family, friends, a wonderful job, safety traveling, and many happy memories to cap off the old year and ring in the new!
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