it's the most wonderful time...

Oh holidays, you win this round!!!  I can't remember a holiday when I've eaten more, gone to more social functions, stayed up later or basically had more holiday cheer than this year.  Which is surprising to me because this year I was completely unprepared for all things holiday related.

To kick it off, we had a few doozie snowstorms leading up to Christmas and one of the worst ones came smack on Christmas Eve.  Not only did it make for a snowy, snowy Eve but we woke up to a picture-perfect Christmas morning.  Now, obviously as a Northern girl I've had more than my share of snowy Christmas mornings but this one was the most beautiful one I can honestly remember.  The sky was blue like you never see, all the trees were coated with snow from the night before and on our walk down to my parents' place it was too early for most people to have shovelled so it was all powdery and like a postcard.  There was nobody on the roads, no cars - just quiet.  Seriously, it was perfect.  According to the weather channel, this was the first time since 1971 that there was snow right across the country all at the same time.  I took about 100 pictures but here are some from my 'hood.



My snowy backyard -- sigh, if it wasn't so cold I'd want to sit out there all day.


And this is a shot of my folks' place.   They have the worst driveway for shovelling in the whole world and this shot pretty much sums it up.

All in all, Christmas 2008 was one for the books.  Highlights include:

• Drinking a good number of French martinis with Kelly and Steve, staying up late and sending Marc off to work the next morning while I slept peacefully;
• a crazy Christmas morning with my family and all my giggly nieces;
• Shadfest 2008:  our friend Shad (a.k.a Sean) has the unfortunate pleasure of a birthday on December 26th.  Shad also loves a rock band, especially when it's made up of his friends.  So a surprise party was planned with a house band made up of Marc, Dan and Al.  There was also a keg.  And porketta.  And dancing.  Band highlights include a great rendition of The Weakerthans "Plea From a Cat Named Virtue" and the girls 2 AM version of "Do They Know It's Christmas" starring Lisa as Boy George.  Next day was not so pretty but well worth it.  Thank God for greasy spoon breakfasts;
• our annual Christmas Eve tradition of hors d'ouevres for supper - Marc made prosciutto wrapped chicken skewers, beaufort and spinach puff pastry and we drank a delicious Sagrantino.  Then we opened our stockings and took Sadie for a snowy walk;
• all the open houses/parties we hit up with even more snacks available for the eating.

I hope everyone had great holidays and that Santa found everyone happy and safe!!!!