The Holiday Journey

I think we just about survived the holidays... New Year's will be tame and thus the running around ends.

We spent Christmas Eve with my Dad's side of the family. Which was cool, but odd having Scott there because he's even more of the antithesis of them than I am. They don't cuss or drink or smoke (except for turkeys, they do smoke turkeys) and they go to church fairly regularly and are just generally goody two shoes. I mean, they're my family and I love 'em and all, but I'll never be hanging with them on a regular basis.

We then came home and opened up our gifts. I got a digital camera -- YAY! Which means I may have to consider upgrading this here blog to show off some fabulous pictures of nothing too interesting, but at least there will be something for y'all to look at, right? I gave Scott a set of knives... I've been agonizing over this for a little while because knives are just pretty darned boring. But, he seemed to like them and luckily we were getting along well, so his desire to play with them didn't carry over to him looking over at me with a Jack Nicholson like glint in his eye.

Christmas morning we went over for breakfast at his momma's house. She threw down some cream chipped beef and I was in HEAVEN! That is one of my favorite things in life. Isn't that silly? But it's true. We opened our gifts and they gave me some clothes and some candles and some other things. I don't really like receiving clothes from anyone, but it was a nice thought.

Later on, we went to my parents' house for dinner. And then MY momma really threw down. It was so good, I wish I hadn't gotten so full so I could've had more. There was she-crab soup and crab cakes and shrimp fettucine and twice baked potatoes and a mixed medley veggie dish... TWO different kinds of dessert. Mulled apple cider that we abudantly spiked with Apple Jack Brandy. See, the food was so good I didn't even say what they gave me for Christmas! :) (That always brings back the kid in me... "And I got a scooter and I got some clothes and I got some video games and I got a new dolly") The main thing I got was a jewelry armoire, which I have enough jewelry to about half way fill, which really surprised me! Actually, I forgot about some stuff I have tucked in a drawer so it'll probably be about full once I put that in there.

The day after Christmas (Boxing Day, thank you very much) we went to his Aunt Janice's down in NC. I just love her to death. She's so down to earth and so blunt, that in some ways she reminds me of me. She's way more laid back than I am though. Not that this is hard to do. She also fed us a wonderful meal -- smoked turkey and ham and purple potatoes. Yeah, purple. They looked really odd, but they tasted just like regular potatoes to me -- with the right amount of gravy on them.

And then yesterday was my long-awaited party. It was really nice. I was pretty frantic getting everything together, but Scott really stepped up to the plate and helped me out a LOT. Both physically and emotionally. I LOVE having parties and getting everyone together but it's always kind of stressful for me because of a lot of self-induced pressure. I want everything to be right and just so, I get so wound up in that that it usually takes me a little while to relax and enjoy my own party. He was so great about helping me get things ready (I daresay it'll be a while before I'll get him near any plumbing repairs, though) and just helping me to relax in general. It was the first party that I threw that I really felt like WE threw. Felt like we were in together, you know? It was nice to have him there by my side and not have that feel like a figurative thing.

Every day I love him more and it's usually for the dumbest reasons. :)

Anyways, we had a good turnout. I think altogether a little over 20 people showed up. So, it wasn't a raucous holiday throwdown -- but my house is really not big enough to manage that. 20 people and it starts to get a little crowded -- especially in the winter because you really can't congregate outside as much as you can in the summer when the weather's warmer. On a sidenote, this is the first party that I've had in a long time where I really felt like I got to sit and talk to just about everyone for a little while. Usually, the next day I'm left feeling like I saw everyone and talked to no one. This time I really don't have that Faux Pas Hangover that I usually do. Like, I can't believe I said that or didn't say this or that I didn't talk to THIS person, but talked to THAT person forever. It was just an even keeled thing. I liked that.

But the holidays are officially over for me now and the post-holiday letdown can now begin. Think I'll wait to tear down the tree though. That's the part that's the worst. Then the house just goes back to being naked and unadorned. That's what REALLY makes it over, so I usually wait til after New Years. Just so I can put off that last final stage...