Catching Up

Okay, it's hard to keep up with blogging when you don't have easy access to Internet! So let me catch you up on the last few days. Okay, let me say this first: I have learned that, when I post blogs in Internet Explorer, my pictures are not "clickable". I do not understand why. So at work, I post in Firefox, but I don't think Jon and Julie have that on their laptop, which is what I am currently using, so I am sorry for the small and unclickable pictures. Hope you can enjoy them anyway...

So, on Saturday, after leaving the library and all the fun had there with Kristin, I went to the mall to buy Julie's Christmas and birthday presents. I was horrified to see the parking situation at the mall. Yikes. Somehow, miraculously, I found a parking space immediately. Yipee. So I ran in and got two of the "perfect gifts" for Julie. I will post pictures of them later, because there is a great story... Anyway, then I went over to my friend Anne's house. I hadn't seen Anne in about 7 months. Her house is so warm and inviting. I love her house. It was a great visit, and I'm hoping to visit with her a bit more before returning to Tuscaloosa, so we can get a picture. Anne wasn't feeling well that night, so she wasn't feeling in the picture mood. Then I spent the rest of the night with my dad watching TV.

On Sunday, I went to church. It's always great to see everyone. One of my high school friends was back visiting her parents, and we were able to exchange email addresses and blog addresses! My blog list is growing! Yay!! So, that was Lindsey. She has two very cute little girls now. My how the time flies... I also got my friend Kira's blog address (see, I told you the blog list was growing :))... Kira also has 2 little ones with a 3rd on the way. Sunday after church, I went and hung out at my friend Karen's house. I love visiting with Karen. We have fun. Then I swung back by the library to guilt Miss Hilda into taking a picture with me. I was successful :). And you get the added bonus of seeing the slipping room at HLML and it's lovely 70's green shelves. I LOVE Miss Hilda. Anyway, after helping close down the library, I went home and watched TV until my dad got home from work. Then we watched Field of Dreams and then we went to sleep.

On Monday, which was Christmas Eve, I slept until I felt good and ready to get up. That's right, I enjoy my vacations by sleeping in :). My dad and I went to the post office to pick up the package from my mom, and then we went to the grocery store to pick up some things for Christmas dinner. We returned to the house and I started transferring more Betamax stuff to DVD (you know, the family home videos). Man, those things crack me up! I was a bossy child. It's great stuff. We ended up being invited to my dad's cousins for Christmas dinner. So we decided to do our Christmas early, because it was a 2 hour drive to my Aunt Janie's house. This is what my dad got me for Christmas:

My sweet dad. He said it's because this is my last Christmas with him. I know it breaks his heart. It's so sad. I looked at him and said, "Dad, I know it's hard, but I have to go to Washington. That's where I'm supposed to go." And he looked at me and said, "I know you do, hon." It's wonderful to know that he understands and knows that Washington is where I need to be going, for whatever reason. Anyway, this is a nifty CD player. It even has a remote control. He also got me a butterfly thing to "remind me of Panama." My mom got me the 4th book in one of the series I've been reading. I'm excited about reading it. My grandparents got me an ornament (this is a tradition) and a snowman goblet which is absolutely darling.

Christmas Day, we got up early and started driving to Georgia. It took a little over 2 hours and we got to see lots of family. It's just nice and cozy-feeling to be with family. And, of course, we ate a lot. But it was good to see Aunt Mary Jane, Aunt Sandra, Great-Aunt Rosita and everyone else. Pretty much the same people who were there for Thanksgiving. Just so you can refer back to that picture if you want to, because I never took any pictures there this trip.

On Wednesday, I got up early once again to get on the road to Julie's. And I arrived safely and am currently hogging up Jon's laptop to do this post. So, I will leave the fun pictures for my next post, because we have to take a picture with our mutual presents :). Oh, well, let me just put in a couple more pictures here. Julie and Alysha opening their presents and then one of me and Alysha. But the stories will come later, deal?