Sometimes it annoys me when people say, “Man, I can’t believe it’s Christmas again already” or “It seems just like yesterday it was Christmas.” Well, its Christmas again already - but the truth is, I feel like I have crammed in a full years worth of activity between last one and this one. But honestly, time did fly once we hit Thanksgiving. I almost let things get away from me and was forced to spend an entire three weeks preparing for Christmas, decorating, making our newsletter, assembling music, shopping, cleaning, etc.
But its here now. Today is Christmas Eve once again. I’ve been trying to celebrate all month, watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. At work, we had a great Christmas party hosted by our KMA president on December 15. It was the fanciest Christmas party I have ever been to. The theme was “Christmas Past, Present, and Future.” It began with appetizers in a large ballroom with live carolers circling the room dressed in Dickensian garb. Free drinks and gourmet appetizers abounded for the first hour. Then we moved to a decorated dining room with live music and enjoyed a filet minon and chicken dinner. Finally, we moved back to the original ballroom, now decorated with futuristic glow-in-the-dark displays. Here we had our choice of a multitude of delicious desserts followed by live rock music and a batch of inebriated co-workers bombarding the dance floor.
Then this past Wednesday, our department had an office Christmas carry-in with tons of great food, followed on Thursday by another fancy catered lunch for everyone in our office. On Friday, I was off work - so I spent the day doing more shopping and had a nice lunch at Red Robins with George. Briana, who has been here since last Sunday, and Ashleigh spent the day with their Mom.
Last night my Mom, Bob, Christi, Briana, Creed, and I went to The Beach waterpark. Ashleigh had to work. Our original plans for us all to go were thwarted when Ashleigh confused her 8pm - Midnight shift with 8am to Noon. Every year, they have a daily holiday fest with the entire park decorated in lights and Christmas decorations. Creed was especially fun making his way around the park, excitedly hurrying (and returning) to one attraction after another. Always fun is the water slide (minus water) that you can go down in a sled. Christi and the kids rode it twice and I rode once, taking Creed down with me.
The petting zoo always carrys an array of animals from rabbits to llamas to deer. Bob smuggled in some peanuts and dog buscuits from home to feed the animals. Where he got dog biscuits since they don’t have a dog was a question I didn’t ask. While trying to pose for a picture with a llama, it bit my coat and left behind some dried slobber on my sleeve.
Christi, the kids, and I also rode the Berry-Go-Round, one of those rides where the object is to spin yourself into oblivion. And that we did. It’s amazing that no one vomited although Creed looked like his eyes were ready to fall out of his head. We also all rode the carousel, a high-speed adventure atop wooden horses. The Beach had a great toy train set erected in one area, which endlessly fascinated Creed. There was a nice nativity scene with a live camel, too.
We capped off the evening with some soft pretzels and hot chocolate and then headed for the exit. Briana and Creed made a pit stop for one more spin on the Merry-Go-Round. Finally, there was an opportunity on the way out to see Santa Claus but the picture below indicates Creed’s feelings toward doing that…
that night was so fun. i hope we can do it next year and maybe Ashleigh can get her work times straight :]
briana
December 27th, 2006
I miss you already. When are you coming down again??
Brad
December 27th, 2006
i dont know. probably in a few weekends. I miss u guys too.
briana
January 2nd, 2007