Merry Christmas!

Wow! What a crazy and hectic last few days - I couldn't even remember what day of the week it was today! Well, here's the condensed version (at least condensed for me):
Thursday: Well, we were planning to leave for Florida on Friday so Thursday would have been our last full day in STL to get all the rest of our shopping, wrapping, cleaning, packing, etc. done before the trip. So our plan was to come home, do all that jazz, go to soccer and try to get some sleep - until we came upon some hockey tickets. :) A friend at work couldn't go to the game and of course we can't pass up sports tickets of any kind, so we ditched our Christmas "duties" to go to see the Blues v. Kings. Well I guess the Blues got an early Christmas present because they actually won a game! Yes, the Blues, arguably the worst team in the NHL, actually won a game and we got to see it! So that was exciting. Then we had a soccer game at 11.15 pm (of course we'd have to have the super late game the night before we were supposed to leave), which was fun and amusing (especially after Cody had a few beers at the hockey game). We lost, but it was fun. That night we stayed up super late working to get stuff done for the trip, only to fail miserably at accomplishing all our tasks. :)
Friday: By mid-morning on Friday we both realized there would be no leaving that day. So much to do and just not enough time. Once that decision was made the day was fantastic - we felt like we had all the time in the world - and since Cody had off work, I got off early and everyone else was out of town we had time and we had it to ourselves. So while I was at work, Cody got his hair cut, got the oil changed in the cars, and did some errands. Then we actually got to hang out together, go to dinner together (a sit-down dinner, not even Subway) and have a relatively easy going evening together. We took all the pictures I wanted to with the tree (to be posted on the website shortly) and went to bed early.
Saturday: Cody woke up at 3 am (yes, Cody waking on a Saturday in the AM!) to build the kitties a little kitty condo for their borrowed carrier (thanks to Marissa and Cassidy the cats no longer roam the car when we drive them to FL, they sit in their huge dog carrier) - it was out of an old milk carton - he turned it upside down and cut out a side of it so one cat could sit up top and another could sit underneath - like a bunk bed system - how nice of him. After he was done doing that and loading most of the Jeep, I got up, helped with the loading and then we got on the road around 5am. Since I DO NOT do mornings, Cody had to take the first shift. He drove until about 9.30 (while I slept) and then I took over for him to sleep. I then drove until about 1.30 and then it was his turn - so we stopped at a gas station to get gas and switch but Cody accidentally closed his door hard and the power window fell into the door. Well then we had two crummy seats - the driver or the passenger with the window stuck down. So I chose the driver (I got to chose because he broke the window) while Cody tried to hold a pillow up in the passenger window to reduce the noise from the wind. We even had to cover up the cats because all the wind was really bothering them. So I got stuck driving the rest of the way into Tally. So we finally arrived Saturday evening in Tally Town. Cody went to his folks and I went to my moms - he helped bake cookies and I helped my mom START her Christmas shopping (yes, my mother put off her shopping until December 23 - apparently she did not get the memo that Christmas is on the 25th EVERY YEAR). So we shopped and hung out and had a nice evening of wrapping presents.
Sunday: Christmas Eve! More shopping with mom for me. We pretty much ran until the stores were all about to close but we got most of it done. :) We always spend Christmas Eve with Cody's family so we all went out to eat and then went back to his parent's house to hang out. Because we all have so much already, in leiu of getting each other presents this year we each chose a way to donate to charity. Cody's parents adopted a family from a woman's shelter and bought those kids presents. We donated money to both CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an organization that assigns an advocate to abused, neglected or abandoned kids stuck in the court system (similar to Guardian ad Litem in Florida, for which I worked in law school), and the March of Dimes -they're the ones that help premature babies and birth defects -and they send out rocking address labels. :) So that took a lot of stress and pressure off of Christmas. While it was nice, I think next year I would like to do a bit of both - a small present exchange - either pick names or keep it under $20 and then still donate. Anyway, we had a great time hanging out with them and playing with the kids. The kids got a ton of toys, including Hubabaloo, a really cool game that I loved to play with Baylee. Unfortunately, poor Baylee got sick and had to end her Christmas Eve early. :( Nonetheless, we all had a great time hanging out and spending time together- and eating lots of sweets.
After the Raffensperger Christmas (of which I will officially be a Raffensperger next year), I went back to my moms and wrapped presents all night. Yes, all night. My brother was supposed to come over and help decorate the tree but never showed up so we actually had a tree up with absolutely no ornaments on it - not one light or ornament - maybe a few pieces of tinsel that didn't come off from years past, but that was it. That of course bugs me since I'm all into Christmas trees, but I guess that's life.
CHRISTMAS: This morning Cody woke up early (at his parents - not sure how we're going to do this sleeping/living arrangement in Tally when we're married or have kids) and did Christmas with his family and his niece and nephew and then came over to my mom's. We did Christmas at my mom/grandma's house and had a great time - always a riot - in all senses of the word. Always good fun. Then we drove out to Sopchoppy to my dad's house to see that group (my dad, stepmom, David, Kim and the kids). Again, a great time. Kim is actually pregnant again with their third kid and we all couldn't be more excited - they've got two (absolutely gorgeous) girls now and they find out on Jan. 3 if the next one will be a boy or girl. We're pulling for a boy but will adore whatever they have, of course. We had a great time playing with the girls and catching up with everyone. We missed seeing the Fountains (our grandparents- Dianne's parents) and Aunt Frances Ann, but hopefully we'll get to see them shortly at the wedding - they're always good people to see and hang out with. After my dad's Christmas we went back to Tallahassee to my aunt and uncles for our third (Cody's fourth) Christmas of the day (yes it was exhausting)!
:) Always a riot there as well. My Aunt Cookie was there so we got to see her - she's fantastic and funny as hell (hi Aunt Cookie if you're reading this). We had a great time laughing hysterically and hanging out - let's just say my family is pretty insane. :) After all the fun was over we came home and have just been cleaning up and hanging.

Hope you had a great Christmas!!!