Back to the grind

Christmas and New year's are over and it's back to a regular work week. You know, does anyone find that depressing? I feel like the holidays, sometimes, are a let down when it is all over. There is such a build up, and now before Halloween there are Christmas decorations, and everyone is so excited and then it's over. We have such a wonderful holiday season with family and friends and then it's over. People have forgotten what Christmas is all about and the true meaning. Some of the stores this year changed signs so they didn't read "Merry Christmas" because they don't want to offend anyone. Why isn't anyone concerned with the fact that they might be offending Christians by doing that? It really makes me angry.
We have an incredibly busy Christmas day. We get up at the crack of dawn (even if we didn't have anywhere to be we would be up early, Rusty is the worst of the kids), have Christmas at home, load up the car and go to my parents to have Christmas with them. My Grandparents were here this year so that was really nice, my Grandfather is 80 and my Grandmother is 75 so they don't do alot of traveling. We really enjoyed visiting with them. Then we all piled into the cars and went to Steven's. Normally, Steven is at my parents but he had to work Christmas Eve and then go back to work Christmas night so we went to his house. After leaving Steven's we came home, unloaded the car, reloaded it with presents for Rusty's side of the family and headed to his Mom's. When you get all of us there the house is bursting at the seams but we wouldn't have it any other way. She makes a huge breakfast, eggs, bacon, sausage, gravy and papa bread (this is fried bread that Rusty's Grandfather ate everyday of his life), fresh fruit, country ham and fried oysters. YUCK The fried oysters are tradition for them, I just can't stomach them. We got Blake to try one this year and he liked it. He's the only one of my 3 kids that we have been able to con into trying one and he actually liked it. Everyone then gathers in the living room and dining room and we open presents. It's alot of fun. We then load the car again, go back to our house and unload and head back to my Mom and Dad's to have dinner. It is a very long day but what would a holiday be without family.
New year's eve is fun, my parents and brother come over, once again there is lots of food and we play games. This year we got my Dad to play Twister. That was quite a sight. There was alot of laughing and falling down.
We have had 1 sick kid after another in this house. Last Thursday it was Blake, Friday it was Wayne and then today was Ashleigh. Thank God there was no vomiting. Ashleigh was the only one that really had it bother her stomach, the other 2 had the fever, headache and sore throat. I think everyone is healthy and on the mend.
Ashleigh started her new job last weekend and she loves it. She is working at Wal-Mart and that is the perfect job for her. She is such a people person and loves to talk. I wonder where she got that from? (grin) She has already picked out the "hot" guys and she is having a great time. It is so nice to see her acting like a teenager and not some pod person that I thought had taken her place a couple months ago.
Melissa, sorry I've been gone for a little while, I promise not to let that happen again. ha ha
Have a great evening.
Bridget