First Christmas

Due to a gigantic snow storm over the Christmas weekend, I spent my time being happily snowed in at home. I got home the Wednesday night before the holiday, and didn’t dig my car out ’til Sunday.

This is about half of the snow we got.

I probably should’ve tried to dig out a couple days earlier, but it was awfully nice being lazy.

Luckily Jason was willing to drive me around so we spent some time at his apartment (he has surround sound and satellite tv!), as well as an evening at Karyn and Bryan’s house.

Second Christmas

The following weekend, Jason and I drove down to Indianola on New Year’s Eve. We were spoiled by three days of sleeping in until 10 a.m. and having coffee ready for us when we woke up. Renee also made an endless supply of delicious food. It was a super weekend.

French toast and mimosas for brunch? Yes, please.

If I hadn’t let Nicholas and Alex take photos of me with my camera, this would’ve been the only real proof that I was there.

I think Logan found this Lego set – Lego Renee and a Lego chicken. Perfect (as Renee has chickens)!

We spent a lot of time playing Wii and card or board games in the evenings. I actually survived an entire game of Phase 10! Wine helps.

Third Christmas

And for weekend after that, I carpooled down to South Dakota with Karyn and Bryan to visit my own family.

My camera died when we reached the Sullivan Christmas party in Sioux Falls, so I took a bunch of photos with Karyn’s camera that I’m too lazy to post here.

It was Hannie’s first Christmas, of course, which is why she got so many more presents than the rest of us. (I kid!)

Ryan sent everyone their own Taiwanese banana case, which was pretty special.

Bryan knew these were SPAM, but he didn’t know which flavors! They came all the way from Hawaii.

I think I need to open this when I have friends around to help me drink it, in case it’s too weird.

That sushi pillow also came from Hawaii. I made a special trip to Honolulu’s Chinatown and sat on Waikiki beach with it all afternoon on my final day.

What a mess.

Kelsey and I have been friends since the 3rd grade and now she’s having a baby. Aren’t we somehow obligated to have babies at the same time so they can be BFFs, too? I am no where near ready for that, though. Oh, well.

Mom and Dad gave each other new toasters for Christmas. Dad hated their old toaster so much that he immediately threw it out… into a snow bank.

Karyn and I spent some time organizing and stuffing Ryan and Jane’s wedding invitations. Stamps and addresses were flying all over the room!

On our way back to Minneapolis, Karyn, Bryan, Hannie and I stopped at Grandma D’s house in Rock Rapids since we didn’t have a chance to see her in Sioux Falls. We had a delicious lunch, Hannie got some fun toys, and then we continued on our merry way.

That was the longest Christmas celebration ever!