Christmas

Christmas was different this year.  Not saying it was bad, just different.

As usual, I headed to my parent's house.  I'm so thankful I got two weeks off because I was able to head up there for a week without even thinking about it.  My brother, sister-in-law, and niece were there early, so we celebrated Christmas on the 21st.  Then we celebrated again on the 23rd with my uncle and aunt.  Yep, we'd opened all presents before the 25th, so it was a bit different.  In fact, when the news was talking about last minute shopping on the 24th, we were all wondering why people were last minute shopping still.

Since Christmas was on a Sunday, we went to church that morning.  In the afternoon, we headed back to my uncle and aunts.  My cousin and his family were there, and we had Christmas dinner together.  They live in Washington, so I don't see them very often, and that was nice, especially since it was the first time I got to see his new son, who's over a year old already.

Of course, I got to visit my friends Donald and Heather on the way back down south.  Saw Donald on the way north, too.  We played two rounds of The Stock Market Game, and I won both of them.  Couldn't believe that since he usually beats me.  Also saw family friends while in Santa Rosa.