Christmas 2008

Santa...I KNOW him

Cousins Ang and Michael from New Mexico

Mom and Auntie Louise

Mom's immediate side of the family at Auntie Nance & Uncle Tim's house

Daren & Dad during Christmas Eve gift opening

Bean & I during Christmas Eve gift opening

Doing what we do best...eat at Auntie Rose & Uncle Reg's house

This year Christina "Bean" came into town 2 weeks early in order to have knee surgery before Christmas.  Although it was a bummer she had to have surgery, selfishly I loved it because I had more time to be with her over break!  I love my sister! Bean, Daren, Bentley and I went up to Cleveland the Saturday before Christmas to spend time with our family.  Thank you Auntie Rose and Uncle Reg for letting us stay with you...we had such a good time catching up, playing Guitar Hero, watching movies and playing Cranium Pop 5.  Throughout the week we also got to see all our cousins from my mom's side (even Ang and Michael from New Mexico).  We are so fortunate to have such a big family!  While we were up there we also spent an evening at Auntie Susie's to go through some of Grandma Jagodnik's stuff, that always promises a good laugh or two...more than that!  Oh the stuff we found, some treasures, some...we just said what is that and what do we do with it?

After spending the week and Christmas Eve in Cleveland, Daren and I flew to New Hampshire on Christmas morning to spend with the Lynch's.  For those of you who don't like to fly when there are crowds, I highly recommend flying on Christmas!  It was a piece of cake.  Luckily, I was smart this year and mailed all their wrapped gifts the first week of December too!  I'm not always a procrastinator!  There was never a dull moment in New Hampshire, between Dad Lynch hiding a Wii in the fireplace, the 12 lb ribeye for Christmas dinner, several games of Wii bowling and golf tournaments, countless laughs with Uncle Wayne, Aunt Cheryl, Stacey and Bryan, the endless gifts, helping Keri Ann decorate her new apartment, and drum roll...matching Christmas pajamas...it was a fun time.  Thank you for making my first Christmas away from home such a good one!  

This trip we also ventured to Boston, it was so pretty.  We had a great Italian dinner in the North End, endulged in delicious treats from the famous Mike's Pastry, and went to an Irish bar.  Keri Ann and I even broke up a fight in the street, I don't recommend this and I quickly found out I wouldn't make it in Boston!  The best part of our night in Boston was coming back home to find all 7+ blow up, bigger than life-size Christmas figures lit up AND singing in the the front yard!