Merry (belated) Christmas! Even though the stores have been playing Christmas carols and there are decorations galore, it still didn't really hit me it was Christmas ... of course, given the fact that it's 80 degrees and still feels like summer ... which I have no complaints =)
Thank you to family and friends who mailed Christmas cards - I have my walls covered in cards and pictures making me feel closer to home (p.s. same postage rates apply down here). And just so you know, you will hopefully receive yours by February (can you say "island time"?!?).
Enjoyed a nice dinner out on Christmas Eve with Jeff, Lisa, Tony, LauraLee, and Steve - talk about a Midwestern gathering - friends from Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota. Went to a new restaurant and it was amazing!!! Definitely more of a special occasion type of place. I had a hard time deciding between the specials, but went with the gingerbread wrapped mahi in a pumpkin cranberry sauce - talk about tasting like Christmas!
Talked to my parents, grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins who were down at Grandma's house on Friday night - missed being there! Got to Skype with my brother, mom, aunt, and uncle yesterday and open gifts - so excited for my parents to get their gift up and running, as I sent them a camera for their computer - so now I'll be able to see them on Skype! And as a reminder to my dad, EVERYONE else remembers your comment on the phone Christmas Eve ... no blaming the Nyquill, or the wine, or the grasshoppers ... See you down here next year ;)
My friend Amy was my official Christmas present and flew down yesterday - the first of many to take the non-stop flight from Charlotte - which I am single-handedly crediting my friends for changing US Air's schedule! Go figure, she had never seen a white Christmas, and it has been snowing in NC since she left! Sorry Amy! I told her we could make a sandman instead of a snowman to make up for it ...
We had a great time last night just catching up, then hung out with Kirby, Andy, Kim, Rachel, and Dan - I ate more than my fair share of desserts, which after becoming miserably stuffed, it really felt like Christmas. Today we had a full day - I was up at 4:30 to bake (after enjoying two days to sleep in!!) - only to find out that Polly's opens at 8 (instead of 7) on Sundays when no cruiseships - ugh, I really could have used that extra hour of sleep! Then Amy and I went for a walk on the beach, then spent the rest of the day with Kirby and Andy - hiked to the lighthouse, pitstop at Rhythms, pig roast at Mount Victory, pitstop at Coconuts, and finished off the day in Sunday tradition at the Lost Dog.
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I was bummed that the Forest Hill Christmas Eve service was not online as of yesterday afternoon (and then services were canceled today due to snow!), so I will make time later this week to watch it and be reminded of the true meaning of the season.
Setting sail for the BVIs tomorrow!
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