JYC Dec 31st

December 31st One Last Night
Here we are the biggest party night of the entire year, it is 8:50 pm and I am already in my pajamas. It has been a few years since we have gone out. When I did go out, I prefer to go to a friend’s house and just sit around talking with good friends. No big glitzy parties for me. I was always ready to go home shortly after midnight anyway. I do remember one New Year’s Eve when I was in college. I was home from school for the holidays. The college group from church was getting together at a friend’s home. Many of the parents were also together. We spent the time, talking, getting caught up on what had happened the last semester and of course munching on food. One member from the group needed to make an appearance at another party and left. The weather had started getting bad, so he called us to tell us to stay put and not go home. Most of us checked in with our parents and they all agreed that the roads were getting bad and we should stay put. At some point after midnight we all began to fall asleep. The next morning the parents of the person whose house we were at came home to find about 20 of us all asleep. People were laying all over, on the floor, on the couch, etc. I am sure it was quite the picture. Looking back on it, I wish I had a picture. Not a single parent was worried about us as they knew we

JYC Dec 30

Todays assignment was to create a year in Review. We choose the top 10 items for the family. Notice quite a few are of Sarah, but that is a sign that she is growing up and becoming an adult.

December 30th 2008 in Review
1. Family trip to St. Louis
2. Sarah made Football Cheerleader
3. Sarah qualifies for State Fair with two different exhibits and Share the Fun
4. Kristen’s First Piano recital
5. Sarah is confirmed
6. CHS football team made it to the first round of playoff
7. Kurt missed first football game in 22 years
8. Sarah was gainfully employed for first time.
9. Sarah travels to Colorado without parents
10. Sarah starts high school

JYC Dec 29th

Today's assignment was to create your album cover or title page. Since I am in the process of cleaning the house for a party on Thursday, I chose to pass on this for now. Will take care of it after the holidays are over.

JYC Dec 28th

December 28th Indulgences ( what do we do this time of year that don’t normally do)
1. Stay Up late
2. Sleep in
3. Eat Christmas Cookies
4. Stay in Pajamas longer in am
5. Getting together with friends
6. Spending time with immediate family
7. Sitting in the living room with nothing but tree lights on in the morning before rest of family wakes up.

JYC Dec 27th

December 27th Sleep
What a timely topic. I came down with a little problem while at the restaurant last night and wasn’t able to get to sleep until around 1:30 and then woke up about every 75 minutes for the rest of the night. Went to the Doctor’s this morning and got some antibiotics. I came down with something else after getting home. I tried to get a nap in, but just couldn’t fall asleep. Kristen has spent the past two nights sleeping in the living room. She must really like to do this as she is always begging but we only let her on special days, when there is no school. I have noticed however that I am able to sleep in during break which is something that I never used to be able to do.

JYC Dec 26th

December 26th Boxing Day
In the United States we don’t celebrate Boxing Day but we do have some of our own traditions. Many people take advantage of the clearance sales that start today and are out shopping picking up the rest of the Christmas items marked down at least 50%. I don’t jump on the shopping bandwagon. I really have no desire to fight with the crowds over some cheap wrapping paper or lights. Instead we are spending the day just enjoying the family. We all slept in late. I even made it to 6:30 am; that is really late for me. We have watched some tv, spent some time cleaning bedrooms so that we can put away the new toys and clothes. (I really need to clean out Kristen’s closet and see what either doesn’t fit or isn’t “qualified” to wear. She is really picky regarding her clothes. To get her to put on a pair of jeans requires force and threats. At the moment we are watching Emergency on TV. Hoping to watch Kristen’s new American Girl movie Kit and my new movie Wall*E yet today. We did get Kristen’s movie watched but didn’t watch Wall*E. Instead we went out with some of my Scrapbooking friends. Kurt hadn’t met most of them, but he still had a great time. We went to La Feria, I had never been there but the food was good and not too expensive. Hope to go back soon.

JYC Dec 25th

December 25th Christmas Day
What a peaceful start to the day. It hasn’t always been like this however. Woke up around 6:20 and went out to the living room and sat with just the tree lights on. How restful. I decided to take a couple of pictures of the after effects from last night. In a little bit the rest of the crew woke up. Kurt and Sarah got ready for church. Kristen and I stayed at home and cleaned up the mess from the night before. We also cleaned up the kitchen and made breakfast. Kristen whipped up the coffee cake while I fried potatoes, bacon and sausage. Sarah called when she and Kurt were leaving church so that I could scramble up the eggs. We enjoyed eating breakfast together and watching the rest of the Disney Parade. (I almost forgot about it this year) We spent the rest of the morning watching Kristen’s new movie Matilda. Sarah loves this movie also, which is why I think she bought it for Kristen. Of course Kurt had to take his traditional Christmas Day nap. In the afternoon we watched Sarah’s new movie Mamma Mia. The girls danced to the show a couple of years ago. In between movies the girls spent time cleaning their rooms so that new gifts could find their new homes. Left for Jean and Marv’s around 4:00. We ate supper around 5:30, Turkey, ham, rolls, and mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, cauliflower & broccoli with cheese sauce, corn, jello jigglers, deviled eggs, and a fruit salad. After getting everything cleaned up we opened presents. Since I have known Kurt, his older sister Jean has always passed out the presents. Today as we sat down, she asked Sarah to hand out the gifts. Sarah was a little surprised to be awarded such an honor. Kristen received clothes. She was thrilled with each of the outfits from her aunts and uncles, from her oldest cousin she received some bath stuff, and she also received a butterfly watch from Aunt Jean. Sarah choose to enter the draw this year. Mary Kay had her name and purchased stuff from Bath and Body Works. She was thrilled. Jean had my name and gave me the movie Wall*E and a gift certificate to CJ Banks. Dean had drawn Kurt’s name and gave him two movies, Spiderman 3 and Fantastic 4. I think that everyone’s favorite part of Christmas this year was little Allison. She is Justin and Rachel’s first child and is 3 ½ months old. When I was a kid, my great aunts and uncles all seemed old. Now Kurt and I are great aunts and uncles, but I don’t feel that old. Kurt and the girls both took turns holding Allison, but I choose not to since I have been fighting a cold. Didn’t want to take a chance on getting her sick.