I too had a different sort of Christmas this year. With the lack of money and the fact that I was moving over my Christmas break it was just not feasible to travel home for the break. I instead opted to stay in Las Vegas and packed, and packed and packed. I have too much stuff! I love my stuff so it is hard to downsize, but I have too much stuff.
My roommates Shanna, Skyler & I decided that we would wake up Christmas morning and open our presents to each other and then we would go over to their parents house on the other side of town. From Skyler I received a beautiful necklace and a photo album, and from Shanna I received a few books, some scrapbooking supplies and a bottle of balsamic vinegar. I love balsamic!
Skyler loves the Atari that Shanna and I got for him.From my Christmas family (Jeff's family) I was so happy to receive a movie that I love and did not own "Leap Year" and a gift card to my favorite place to eat... Cafe Rio!
From Mom & Dad I got some really pretty picture frames, nice grading pens, some Boston items from moms trip this summer(since she knows Boston was my favorite city when I lived in Palmyra) and some great scrapbooking supplies.
Warming ourselves by the fire - TV style.
We went to see the new movie Tron Legacy; it was great! I had never seen the original Tron, so I prepared myself the week before by watching it. So great!
After the movie we went back to their parents house and hung out for a while before we headed up to the Mt. Charleston Lodge for dinner. It had been snowing heavily for days before Christmas, so we were pleasantly surprised that it was open for business. We had a wonderful dinner while we wondered at the snow out the window and warm fire in the center of the room. (Pictures coming soon, my camera ran out of battery and so Shanna had to take the pictures.)
Two days later Dad came to visit me for a four day mini-vacation. Unfortunately, The day after he arrived it was move day.( BTW he knew that I was moving, and he still came to help - Amazing dad!) With all his experience with packing vans and driving Uhauls he was indispensable. Shanna was originally the one who what going to drive the truck and she was very nervous about that. Dad was a champ and took that off her very nervous hands. With the help of a few others and several hours we got everything over to the new apt and were able to treat ourselves to dinner at a great restaurant here in Las Vegas called "Super Mex". Then once we got home we were able to fall into bed in utter exhaustion. Later Shanna commented to me about how amazing and hard working my dad was. This was not news to me or any of you I am sure, but to her a hard, laborious, working dad was cool. She then commented that her dad was so wussy (sp?) compared to my dad, and that hers would have complained the whole day about everything and she thought it was really cool that my dad was so willing to help and was able to fix a few things, and hang a few shelves along the way. (her dad cant fix anything!) Shanna asks me to help her fix things; not her dad.
Dad and I were able to take some time and play and just visit. He helped me out by replacing a tail light that had gone out and her also helped me get my car ready for my registration smog check. So good to me! He and I drove out to the Hoover Dam and to see the new bridge that spans the gorge that the Hoover Dam is in. We also visited the Temple, but drove up just as they were locking it up for the next month while they did some work on the Temple. So I was unable to show him the cool atrium inside the temple that people are able to go into.
I was so happy to have dad out to visit me since I was unable to go home for the Christmas break.
Dad in Nevada and Merika in Arizona
