Post-Christmas post

I'm finally getting around to posting a Christmas post.  I started one on Sunday, but I decided to delete it because I was about half-way through it when Mom and Dad got here, and I didn't want to have my nose stuck in the computer when I could be visiting with them.

Christmas Day here at the Vest house was very low key.  It was just John, me, and the pups.  John had gotten some DVDs of old westerns at Books-A-Million, so he watched some of them, and I read/watched.  (More read than watched...)  All day long it looked like it would snow, and I saw several friends posting on facebook that it was snowing in North Alabama.  Every so often I would look out, hoping to see a few flakes, but I never did until about 5:30.  It was so pretty, and it didn't take long to get a nice dusting.  I can now say I have seen a white Christmas.  :)

We did our immediate family Christmas on Sunday.  Mom and Dad got here about 10:30 after driving through some fairly heavy snow showers.  Jessi, Lance, and Peanut got here about 11:15.  Jess had gotten up Sunday morning not feeling so great, so we weren't sure she would be able to make it.  I told her that even though we would LOVE to see them, if she couldn't make it, we certainly understood.  Her health, and the health of our grandbaby, is much more important than coming here.  She said she thought she would be able to make it, and they did!  And her bump is so bloomin' cute!  Katy, Phillip, and Sam got here about 12:30.

After lunch (ham, green bean casserole, potato salad, corn, peas, rolls, frozen cranberry salad), we did gifts.  It was so much fun watching Sam this year!  Grana and Poppa got Sam a Tag Junior and some books to go with it. (I think his mommy was more excited about them than he was.  LOL)  Papa Joe and Grandma got him trucks...a HUGE metal Tonka truck and a couple of other ones that make noise.  (I think Sam's daddy liked them more than anybody.  LOL)

I didn't get to hang out long with everyone because Connie and I had planned weeks ago to do a "sister trip" to Ross Bridge Resort and Spa for some pampering, so I left about 3 headed to Birmingham.  Connie rarely ever does anything for herself (she is always putting the needs of others WAY ahead of her own needs) so this was a treat for her.  Because the Retirement Systems of Alabama (of which I am a member) owns the Renaissance hotels in Alabama, I was able to get a special rate for the room.  (And believe me, it is an AWESOME rate!!)  Yesterday, we did some R&R at the spa.  I had a warm stone massage and a pedicure, and Connie had a deep tissue massage and a pedicure.  While I cannot speak for Connie, I can tell you that my massage was heavenly.  I've never had a warm stone massage (other than the hot stone pedicure I get at the walk-in nail salon I go to) but I can promise you that I will have another one! 

Our original plans were for us to do some shopping (or looking in my case) today, but Connie had a doctor's appointment, so she had to leave yesterday afternoon.  She tried to reschedule but they were unable to.  If she'd known then what she knows now, she probably could have spent the night and gotten up this morning and driven to Huntsville. 

After she left, I decided to run to Barnes and Nobel to look.  I ended up getting a few books.  I got a copy of Beowulf, and I got two No Fear titles from Sparknotes:  one for Shakespeare's sonnets and one for Macbeth.  I use the online version of Macbeth, but this way I can jot down notes and if a student needs to use it, I can "loan" it out.  I also got two daily warmup books:  one for writing, and one for spelling and grammar.  Only a teacher would go into B&N and walk out with five books that were useful only in a classroom.  LOL  I did get Mennonite in a Little Black Dress to read before I went to sleep. 

I got up this morning and headed home.  Boy, was it nice to walk in to a couple of happy pups!  Neither of them has left my side for long all afternoon long.  Sadly for them, I'll have to leave them tomorrow because I have my yearly checkup.  Oh joy...

Unless something changes, we're heading to the lake to stay at Danny and Linda's for the weekend.  They invited us up to watch the ballgame and to celebrate New Year's.  If this year is like the last several, John and I will be asleep before midnight.  No wild parties for us.  hahahaha

I guess that's about it for now.  I think I'm going to get my book out and do some reading.

Have a GREAT day!