Christmas catchup and Gesch-ness.

Sorry I've been such a slacker.  But it's not until I stop writing on this blog that I actually find out there are people reading it!  I think I changed the commenting function to allow anyone to comment.  So I hope to hear from all you lurkers that read this!

Grammy and Gramps just left after visiting for a week.  We had a great time with them! I'll post about the week they were here once I'm caught up on the month of January.

The perfect end to our Christmas vacation was a couple of days spent with good friends.
We met up with the G-unit at Covenant OPC and headed up to WI for a couple days of fun in the snow.

Interestingly enough, Eric and Alex received the same gift for Christmas (both unrequested by them).  We spent the evening playing card games, eating and lounging:







The next morning the boys went out hunting


And I stayed in with the girls and helped prep for the big Gesch family BUNCO night, scheduled around our visit :-)
Witness the best layered dessert i've ever made or eaten. It's way to good not to share in it's full glory.
I call it light, fluffy, chocolately, yummy trifle.

First you layer 1/2 pkg lady fingers (miniature angel food cake treat) then drizzle with 1/4 c milk


then spread 1/4 of a mixture of 2 pkgs devils food chocolate pudding prepared and cream cheese


a 1/4 package of cool whip.


and a layer of 8 crushed oreos


If i was more of a perfectionist, I would have tried to make the layers look nicer, but I think messier taste better in this instance


Repeat layer 4 times, and admire results. (then put in fridge out of sight, and lick spatula and eat oreos to resist digging in prematurely)







Thank you for drooling with me on this Wednesday afternoon.

The birds are drooling too.



We stopped for lunch at a classic Sheboygan diner, Schultz's, for some chili, onion rings, steak sandwiches and burgers


And on our way back we stopped at the thrift store to pick up some crazy gifts for BUNCO night


When we got back, Caitlin and Wil has arrived. I was thrilled to be united with my Caiters and we're so glad they made the 6 hour journey from MI to see us and the Gesches for a couple days.

More card-playing ensued complete with inappropriate references:


real shells for bullet life points


lots of happiness to see friends again:


and a gorgeous sunset



Then it was time for BUNCO!
Which I failed to take any pictures of because I was busy holding someone else's baby and getting all the cuddling out of my system. Alex's family is funny and sweet and we had a blast playing the game, but it was even funnier to see all the gag gifts for the winners!

The next morning we all had to head out after lunch, so we took a lovely winter hike on the Gesch property and discovered an iced over pond





 I looked at this picture and thought I looked so out of place in winter! I don't remember what it's like to bundle up!


curling


throwing things:





Our final destination in WI was Gibbsville Cheese--we couldn't very well leave WI without a taste of it's most famous products!








Goodbye Wisconsin! We miss you, but we'll be back some day.

First Married Christmas: Midwest, part 2

Before we knew it, we were waking up at the ridiculous hour of 6am Christmas morning so we could fit in present opening before church. (oh wait, that was just me because I wanted to get my shower in before the masses woke up).  I succeeded, but everyone else rolled out of bed immediately prior to these photos, so I'll apologize for them and to them for sharing :-)



Our third Christmas, but the first we've spent together!



We kiddos went in and got my dad a TomTom GPS







the only picture of my brother turned out horribly, so I won't share.

We had my mom's parents and brother/sister-in-law over for Christmas dinner and Kelsey jetted off to be with her new fiance's family, so it was a pretty calm Christmas day.

After an enormous Christmas dinner, my brother fell asleep with Tyson, one of our family dogs, and I couldn't resist the photo op.





We spent the afternoon playing games, chatting and lounging
How cute are Eric and my grandpa?



On Saturday, it was another family party with my dad's extended family so we could see them (this is usually a new year's deal, but they rearranged it for us.

Loads more food (I'm a bad blogged and took no food photos!) and Eric taught the cousins how to play the games he got for Christmas




I have no idea why my sister is wearing her volleyball jersey...and take no responsibility..

It was nice to see the family and be at 'home' for a few days, but we realized quickly we didn't have nearly enough time to do anything but see family (no seeing the city or most friends this trip!)

First Married Christmas: A trip to the snowy midwest

I left work a little early on Tuesday to head back "home" to IL

We were both nervous about the weather and delays so we arrived to the airport 2 + hours early.  The early bird adage proved true as we were able to slip on a direct flight that left 1 hr 45 min earlier than our scheduled (and then delayed) flight.  We arrived at 10pm instead of nearly midnight!

And then the family madness began!

Family Christmas photos are pretty generic and boring unless you're in the photos, so for the immediate family...I'll be uploading all the holiday photo to the share site!)
Christmas eve:
We (20-something of us) opened gifts


ate



played games



and participated in the annual grab bag Christmas game (this year's theme was weight related...each gift has to be 2+ pounds!)



some $10 joys



and $10 sorrows



and lots of friendly thieving



It was so good to see my big family again :-)

First Married Christmas: Decor

Due to other monetary priorities, we didn't put up a tree this year.  Which was a little bit sad, but since we were gone the whole week of Christmas and surrounded by our parents' amply laden trees, I got over it.


I got my fix when we helped decorate Eric's parents' tree when Ryan got home from school.




I'm looking forward to next year's decorations though, because we were gifted with lots of ornaments over the holidays!

A few from Eric's mom...the leaning tower of Pisa memorializing out Italy honeymoon and a frame for one of our honeymoon photos!


a darling snowman ornament I bought from Kohls



As we bought or recieved ornaments I set them out on our fireplace.

from grandma B.

from 'grandma' G.


german ornaments from friends



the gift 'wrapping" of a gift card exchange


I used several coupons and Kohl's cash to purchase a few decorations including this snowflake candle set and holder.

I also purchased several sets of silver and red ball ornaments and displayed them on our mantle in an antique silver dish I purchased from the thrift store.

 and used a string of lights from our wedding to decorate the mantle

the stockings were bought on after-Christmas clearance last year.
Here's the display all together.
I think it ended up kind of tacky, but we'll be prepared for our first tree now!