The 2008 Vacation Finals

I'm on vacaaaaaation, I'm on vacaaaaaaation...... *neener neener*

Ok, sorry. I do realize that I'm probably not the only person on vacation this week. Thhhhppppttt. But still, I'm excited, and I've been looking forward to this particular "vacay" (Efen f'n hates that word) more than most. No, not because it's Christmas. Speaking of which, can I just share with you all some holiday cheer that my blogger BFF, The Girl, sent to me? (Hope you don't mind, Girl, I just thought it was so sweet of you, and I cried a little when I saw it, because I'm sentimental that way.)





So for all the rest of you out there....what she said.


Ok, I'll admit, I caught a little bit of the Christmas spirit today. First thing this morning (and I do mean first thing, as in 5:30 am), I took New Guy to the airport and shipped him off to the left coast so that he can spend the holiday with his family. (I'm sure he's reading this from some flippin' beach chair from the Hotel Del Coronado, pleased as punch to have his itinerary splashed about the internet...but you know, it's my duty to report.) I had to work today so I dragged myself on in...knowing that today was the last day of the last work week of the entire year, just wanting to get it over with so I could come home, finish my laundry, and have one full day of rest before I head to Christmas at Mimi's on Monday. I suppose the true spirit of the holiday was evident in many hearts today, because I ran across the sweetest, most caring people....and before you know it, one or two of them had me welling up. I'm not even kidding! Remember that scene in the Grinch where his heart outgrows that little tiny heart-holder he has? That was totally me. I KNOW! Plus, we had those cookies with the Hershey's Kiss in the center. So, yeah. What was I supposed to do?

Actually, this week has the makings of a pretty cool Christmas. As you may know, half of us are in Charlotte and half of us are here in WV. Since my brothers decided it would be prudent to, you know, have children, it has been difficult to get schedules together over the years. In fact, I don't think our entire family has spent Christmas together since before my youngest nieces were born, 8 years ago....but, this year, we'll all be there. And that, I have to admit, is a really nice feeling. We'll gather around the fire, sipping holiday martinis (that's what I'll be having, anyway, and chances are I won't be "sipping"), listening to Poppa read "'Twas The Night Before Christmas", having a family singalong, putting the kids to bed with visions of sugarplums in their head.....and then my brothers and I will get liquored up and tell on each other for having keg parties when our parents were out of town, sneaking out the 2nd floor window, crashing the car doing donuts in the snow (instead of a hit and run in the grocery store parking lot), and getting high in the garage. (Er, uh, I just made that last part up.) Ahhh. Good times.

I have an important meeting with the remote that I'm already late for....so I will update as the week progresses. I'm so hoping for a Griswald moment to report :)