So my parents stayed with us since arriving to see Bryn in Band Revue last Sunday (21st).

Monday and Tuesday, Jeff, Paige, Bryn and I all had our regular work/school schedules which left Abby with Grandma and Grandpa. Monday Abby took them along on her marathon Christmas shopping! She really wore them out. Grandma was impressed that Abby had put a lot of thought into her shopping list. Tuesday Abby ran by herself and my parents shoveled 3 times that day! Pretty much, they shoveled everyday they were here. I felt guilty, but they do like it.

Finally Wednesday we were all off and got to stay home. We finished up wrapping presents, tidied the house up and got all the food ready for Christmas Eve. Kristin, Carlo, Lucy and Bella arrived by 4:30pm and were very patient waiting to open gift while we all sampled all the fixins. Bella loved handing out the presents and helping everyone unwrap. She didn't care that it wasn't for her! Kristin made Lucy and Bella ballerina too-toos. Lucy was fascinated with just having Grandma put it on her and take it off. Again. And again... Kristin had purchased a Shark steam mop on Black Friday and wrapped it up for herself from Carlo. Obviously she was not too excited when she opened it. But Carlo prodded her to take it out. Kristin didn't see the sense in taking it out of the box, but when she did, she found Carlo had replaced the mop with a new winter coat! Pretty clever, Carlo! Because this was a rare time when my entire family did not get all together, we Skyped Meg after we finished opening presents! Skype is software that allows you to have a video phone call if you have a webcam on your computer. It was a lot of fun!

Christmas Day, after checking out what Santa had brought, we went to church nearby our house. Mom and Dad spilled the offertory basket as they passed it to each other. Then Mom and Dad went to Kristin and Carlo's for the day while we headed to Jeff's Dad & Judy's in Appleton. When we got back, we all went to see Marley and Me. Good movie, but if you have a dog, bring a lot of Kleenex!

Friday was my Dad's birthday. Abby worked hard today, very busy with half off all that Hallmark Christmas stuff! We met Kristin, Carlo, Bella and Lucy for breakfast at McDonald's. Then Mom went with me to exchange Abby's new cell phone for a different color and amazingly they were not busy! That afternoon we took Mom and Dad to the Domes for their Christmas present. We went later in the day because we wanted it to get dark so we could see the new lights. It was really pretty. We came back home for dinner.

Saturday my parents headed back home. And it was a good thing because the rest of us - minus Abby - got sick. I had all intentions of heading for the Y to work off all those Christmas goodies, but my body had another, more violent, way of shedding those extra pounds. I still don't feel 100%. Bryn's is the same boat I'm in. Paige actually felt OK and went shopping with a friend, only to throw up in McDonalds. Jeff's seems to be all in his head: major headache and chills. We're all feeling a little weak.

Abby's been avoiding us as much as possible. She leaves today for a conference in the Minneapolis for CRU. She'll then get dropped off in the Dells where we're headed this Thursday.