back "home"

We are back in Vermont! Well, Bech has been back here since last Monday. But I got an extra week, and flew in last night. I really am glad to be back. I like sleeping in my own bed and not living out of a suitcase. But I had such a wonderful time home. And I know that it may be a year until I get back home again. I am hoping I can fly home with Jack sometime this summer, but Bech is not crazy about that idea.

I got to see tons of people, veg out a lot, and ate tons of good southern food(which I am pretty sure my OBGYN is not going to be too happy about...oops!).

I have some pictures to share, but I have to make this disclaimer: I suck at taking pictures of people. You have probably already noticed this. My older sister has tons of pictures of friends. I have none. I just forget. However, I don't forget to take pictures of food and decorations. Hopefully Jack will cure me of this illness. So here are some pictures, and very few include actual people.

Here is my parents house, all decorated for the holidays. My dad and brother do an incredible job every year putting the lights on the crepe myrtles. My mom can kinda be a "light Natzi," but they totally satisfied her this year!

The Christmas tree in the den. This is our "casual" tree. We put all of our non matchy and family ornaments on this tree.

The tree in our nice living room. This tree is completely matchy-matchy, and I love it!

A close up of some of the matching going on:

Our staircase banner, which I love as well.

Ohhh...I did take some pictures of people! Here is a picture of the first annual Dirty Santa at the Evans house (side note--Yankees do not call this game Dirty Santa...instead it's Yankee Swap. Same rules, but different games. Also, Vermonters don't know what cookie cakes are. Crazy, right? Okay, back to what I was saying).

Karsten got my gift. The limit was $5, so I went to the dollar store and created a "Romance kit." It had a romance novel, fake flowers, plastic champagne flutes, bubble bath, and a pregnancy kit.

And here is a Christmas morning picture. This year, we spent Christmas Eve day and night with the Evans. We went to Northminster's Christmas Eve service, then came home to eat jambalaya and shrimp remoulade, plus the customary Danish almond desert. Then we played Dirty Santa.

The next morning, we got up and opened presents with the Evans, then headed to Brookhaven for presents. We ate brunch (which always includes cheese grits and breakfast casserole), relaxed, cooked, then ate Christmas dinner with Nana, Papa, Aunt Teri, Uncle Bruce, and my cousin Brett. We attempted to teach my cousin how to play Settlers, but he really just enjoyed messing Blaise up (Blaise can get really into Settlers games).

Back to the picture--Here are Mary Elizabeth (sister-in-law) and Miss Karey, along with Mia (the dog).

Finally, I know everyone is wondering, did I get to eat at all my five restaurants? Or actually, probably no one is. But I am going to tell you. I did have Burgers and Blues and La Guadalupe. Plus I had Little Tokyo four times! But I missed out on Julep and Sal and Mookies this time around. But my four times of sushi was completely sufficient.

Plus, I got a couple of these while I was home: A Blondie Frappaccino from Cups. Oh-my-lanta...words cannot express how much I love this drink, and how much I love Cups. Okay, I am being slightly overdramatic. I really like Cups and Blondie Frappes.