I love the holiday season, and this year was no different.
My first holiday season at Omaha Children's Museum has been great. We do a really fun light show set to Mannheim Steamroller music on a big screen and snow machines...the kids go nuts for it!
Dan and I went to Sioux City for Christmas this year. We spent Christmas Eve with Ray and Susan. Ray took us for lunch at a bar called Miles' to have Charlie Boys and Schooners! I had never:
a) been to a bar on Christmas Eve ( I thought it would be dead. We couldn't hardly MOVE it was so packed!!)
b) had a schooner of beer (It's like a big goblet thingy)
c) eaten a Charlie Boy. It's kind of like a sloppy joe with onions and cheese and pickles. Yummy
We had a lot of fun. Then it was time for mass. Sara Majorka (Susan's oldest daughter) and her husband Josh brought 10-month-old Isabella with them, and she is just a doll! She liked making faces at me and playing with my hair!
After church we had a yummy dinner of potato soup, chili, and of course, traditional Ukranian pierogies. I have the recipe, I need to make them. They are SO delicious. I could eat a whole pot of them! After dinner it was present time! Dan and I got some really great gifts, including a new vacuum (thank goodness!!), a heated mattress pad, some sheets, clothes, gift cards, etc. It was a really fun Christmas!
We then headed over to Leigh and Ken's house to sleep - and that's exactly what we did! I've been so tired lately. I counted the days, and I've worked at either one or both of my jobs for 27 days straight! It felt great to sleep.
Christmas morning was fun opening stockings and gifts with Leigh, Ken, Erin, Megan, Kris, Dan, Nanny and Papa. I got some more really nice, things, my family spoils me! We ate a delicious breakfast and then headed over to Ken's parents house for a little visit. After an hour or so there, Erin and Megan went over to Ray and Ken's for a bit and Dan and I stayed at Leigh's house. Then it was a big Christmas dinner of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc. Delicious!
On Boxing Day we had some bad news - Ken's father had passed away in the night. It was very sudden, but we felt lucky to have been able to spend some time with him on Christmas Day.
We're gearing up for our New Year's Eve event, First Night of Play. This is one of our biggest events of the year, so I'm really excited to see how it all goes. After the event on Friday night, Dan and I are having dinner with my parents at Crave and then heading to Erin's house for some midnight champagne. We'll probably just head home after that.
January 1st is my dad's birthday! We'll be going to Red Oak for some birthday festivities on Saturday, and then spending Sunday and Monday having Christmas with my parents.
I can't believe it's almost 2011! Happy New Year to all!