WOW. I can't believe Christmas is finally over. It seemed to come and go so fast this year, it's a little hard to grasp everything.. but i'll try.
I got lots of awesome stuff this year and was very happy to give out what I thought were thoughtful gifts to those closest to me. Everyone who gave something to me did a great job of knowing exactly what I would want or need and I can honestly say that I didn't get anything weird or random this year.
Christmas week started out with Aaron and I going out to dinner with Karina, Moe and Nessa to exchange gifts. We went out to this yummy restaurant in Fullerton called "Heroes" where the prices were low, the portions were HUGE and they had over 100 beers on tap. Upon exchanging gifts, we found that Moe and Nessa bought us an official Slurpee machine, which Aaron and I will be using to make alcoholic beverages with very soon. Karina completely blew us away with the most amazing gift ever, tickets to see My Chemical Romance and Rise Against at the Forum!!!!!! Needless to say, we were stoked about our gifts! They seemed to like what we got them as well, so it was a successful evening all around.
Aaron and I did our traditional thing, which is to open our gifts to each other before we leave for my familys house. He did an AMAZING job this year!!!! He really showed me how much he knows about me and I could tell that he put a lot of thought into the gifts he gave to me. He got me:
An Emily Strange Calendar
The Gospel According to Biff book
Family Guy Trivia DVD game
A Sudoku puzzle-a-day desk Calendar
The Audrey Hepburn DVD Collection
An old-school microphone (like the one tattooed on my arm)
A jewelry box
Real Gucci sunglasses
and this GORGEOUS promise ring!!!
I got him a $1200 Mesa Boogie Solo Rectifier Amp!
I know it sounds cheap to say that I only got him one gift when he got me so many, but we were both ecstatic about what we got!
Saturday morning we got up and eventually made our way (in traffic) to spend the weekend with my family. First we went to my sisters new home, which they had just finished moving into that morning. The house is beautiful and much bigger than their old place and I was really happy to see how excited my neice and nephew were about having their own rooms. Later on that evening we all drove up to Victorville to stay for the rest of the holiday weekend at my parents house. It is always a blast to hang out with my family and get to spend some quality time with them.
Sunday (Christmas Eve) me, Aaron, Shamie, Robert and the kids, and my parents all went over to my aunt Kims house for brunch with my entire extended family. We ate ourselves retarded while getting collectively drunk off of Bloody Marys and Mamosas. Aaron and Robert even added to the occasion by breaking out my uncles bartending guide and making all kinds of funky shots (which even my mother partook of.) It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed hanging out with my family, especially my aunts and my cousin Fern who I hardly ever get to see anymore.
Sunday night we just chilled out at my parents house and my Mom made homemade chili and cornbread for us all. It was SOOOOO good and Aaron wants me to get the recipe so I can make it for us at home, lol. I had a bit of an emotional breakdown on Sunday night that I won't go into too much detail about. Basically, years of bad-blood between my biological father and me bubbled up to the surface. Poor Mom and Shamie had to sit around listening to me crying my eyes out about things years-past. I did feel better after I got it all out though and pretty much avoided talking to Bio-Dad the entire weekend.
Monday morning the kids were up by 7 am and we all made our way downstairs to let them go crazy and open their gifts. Skylar was so excited when she looked down to the first floor and saw that there was a giant Dora the Explorer doll waiting for her, we had to carry her downstairs. My family seemed to really like the stuff we got them and Aaron and I were both VERY happy with the gifts we received. I got the COOLEST Fender Amp and Guitar salt and pepper set that my mom didn't even know I had been wanting!!!
After that, we went and borrowed my cousins PS2 (we had left ours at home) so that we could all play Guitar Hero 2 (which my parents had gotten for Aaron.) We had a blast playing the game and seeing if we could beat each others scores. We had a very nice Christmas Ham dinner and then sat around feeling fat for a while before getting into our cars to brave the traffic home.
Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and I am once again left feeling awed and blessed with the family and friends I am so lucky to have in my life.
Shout-Outs:
Aaron - You are such a good man and a thoughtful boyfriend. I am so proud to be able to call you mine. Thank you for yet another great holiday. I look forward to many more with you. I love you hunny.
Karina - You ROCK like nobodys business! Thank you for being the best friend a girl could ask for!!!! Sisters for life!!!!
Mommy - You did an EXCELLENT job and I was thrilled with the things you thought to give me. Nobody knows me like you do, no one ever will. You can always count on me to be there for our traditional Christmas morning!
Shamie - What would I ever do without you? Sisters by chance, Friends by choice.
Daddy - You are everything I could have ever asked for in a Father. I may not be your daughter biologically, but you are certainly the only Dad I will ever need.
Everyone else - I only have people that I know and care about on my friends list, which means that if you are reading this, you mean alot to me. Thank you for being in my life. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc.