Christmas wrap-up

Christmas eve started with both of us going to work. Jason got off work at 1pm and I got off at 2pm. We headed home to change - I wore jeans to work and had to dress up, Jason wore khakis to work and changed into jeans. Choir practice started at 3pm and the first service at the Dayton campus was at 4pm. The church was full, but it seemed like most were visitors. The choir sang our 6 songs (as the sun came through the stained glass windows) and Doug Roe did the sermon. It was over a little after 5pm and we headed off to O'Charleys with Pat and Becky Caudill - always a great time with those two!

The 2nd service started at 7pm and we got back just in time. (We kinda got lost with the new exits on 75 and ended up way east of downtown.) Ken, Melissa, the kids, and Jim all came to the service. I had to sit in the front with the choir, but snuck back while we were sitting down to say hi to the kids. The church wasn't as full, but it seemed to be mostly people I recognized. Seemed a little more like our normal Sunday service. We had communion and Kevin Hoffman did the sermon this time. It really felt like Christmas with family.

After hugging everyone in the choir and everyone left at the church we headed to the Cheesecake Factory with Ken, Melissa, kids, Jim, Michael and Shirley (Ken's dad and girlfriend). Jason and I had dessert while everyone else ate dinner. Kenton was so funny, dipping french fries into everything - including the caramel and whipped cream on my plate. We had to leave before everyone was done so we could make it to the last (late) service at the Beavercreek campus.

At the Beavercreek campus we ran into so many of our old friends that we haven't seen for awhile. I said hi to the choir and caught up with some of them. We sat in the back so we could sneak out after we heard a few songs (it had been a long day and we had already heard the sermon twice). Our awesome small group leaders, Ralph & Anita Ludwig, happen to sit behind us, so we got to say hi to them too. We snuck out and ran into Eric Wright and Sarah and Tim Zechini. Jason had a great time goofing with the guys, as usual, and then we finally got out of there. It was just so awesome seeing everyone Christmas eve!

Christmas morning we slept in and then got up to open presents. Jason got me a beautiful snowflake set by Brighton. Appropriately named Snow Diva. I wrestled Jason's ipod Touch from him to wrap it, Cyndi style. Actually, I just put some ribbons on it and hid it. Then I had a trail of clues for where he could find it. (David, Amy, Stacy and I used to do this a lot as kids.) I think he enjoyed it, though he did seem a bit annoyed about running up and down the stairs. :)

We headed to Dad and Claire's house around 1pm and had appetizers along with Grandma Doris and Grandpa Bob (Claire's mother and step-father). Both Amy and Stacy called while we were opening gifts and I got to catch up with both of them. After opening gifts we had a delicious ham dinner with the return of the ice cream in chocolate cups. (Claire had to try to the chocolate drizzle again.) It was a low-key Christmas day with great company and before we knew it, it was 8pm.

When we got home I gave Mom a quick call to wish her a Merry Christmas. It was really odd not heading down to Florida as I have almost every year for the past 9 years. (I'm such a creature of habit.) I know I just saw Mom and Gary at Thanksgiving, but I miss them already. We're planning on camping over Memorial Day weekend, so we're just focusing on that.

Friday Jason had to work until noon so I went shopping with Melissa at the Greene. Great sales! After we got home Jason and I headed to Kentucky to celebrate Christmas with his family. Saturday morning we gave them stockings with gifts inside. Both Gayle and John said they've never received stockings as gifts before. (Yay!) Later that afternoon (while temperatures were 72 degrees) we opened a few more gifts. Then Sunday Jason's sister, April, and her boys came over for Christmas dinner and more gifts! And before we knew it, Christmas was over and we had to go home.

It's been an awesome week and I can't believe the last day of 2008 is tomorrow. I have a "year in review" blog started, but still need to think about things before posting it. Stay tuned... :)