Christmas in Germany

Christmas in Germany was a different kind of Christmas. I worked the night of the 23rd, so I got off on Christmas Eve morning. I went the mailroom hoping that there was a package slip in my mailbox. There was ONE! YAAAY! It was from Steve&Diane! I intended on making a trip again that afternoon to see if Mom or Dad's packages arrived that afternoon. However, when I went to bed there was NO HOPE for me being awake in time to make another trip to the mail room with no guarantee. So, I decided to just wait and have a prolonged holiday package season.
I woke up at 5pm to go to Nate and Michele's for Christmas Dinner! I was very excited to be spending Christmas Eve with them and Baby Nadia, but I was SO TIRED still. I pretty much rolled out of bed, put nice clothes on, and went in my slippers :) Michele cooked a wonderful turkey with all the accessories. Nadia slept through dinner so we were able to all sit down and enjoy. Julie was supposed to join us, but I guess after working a long day and working again on Xmas, she wasn't feeling too well, so decided to stay home. It would have been really nice to have her celebrate with us.
After dinner, we opened some presents. By 'we', I mean Nate and Michele finished opening theirs, I received my new favorite lotion and a big candle from them, and Nadia decided it was time for her dinner and dessert. Nadia was dressed in her cute Christmas outfit from Emily. She had little reindeer on her feet with antlers that moved when she kicked. It was so amusing. We then watched the classic 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'.
After I went home, I COOKED until 3am!!! Yes, I cooked. I made Pumpkin bread, I started marinating the beef tenderloin steaks, I toasted nuts, I made a cheese ball. I was a crazy person. I realized slowly, I have no serving dishes!! But, such is the life of a single 20-something girl who doesn't cook a lot. I love the Polish Pottery out here, so I think that will become my investment over the next few years/months. I went to bed for a very short period of time before I woke up again to keep cooking. I made rolls, lil' sausages wrapped in crescent rolls, then I seared the beef tenderloin steaks. Shawn brought the green bean casserole that he made all by himself. Snaps to Shawn. I should have taken a picture of the table because I made a lot of food. Emily walked in and said, "This is the most I have ever seen you cook!"
After eating, we played Apples to Apples. Michele was sweeping all the green apple cards. She knew just how to convince anyone to pick her card. Slowly, people flitered off to other things. Chieuly and Eric had another dinner to go to, Jason worked that night, Nate and Michele were sleep deprived and needed a nap. When it was calm and quiet, Shawn, Emily, and I debated watching a movie. We never got that far. Shawn and I started slurring our words and sleep talking to each other. I was fast asleep around 9pm on Christmas night. I barely even remembered that Mom had called me when I woke up the next morning.
The morning after Christmas, I was wide awake at 10am. I worked tonight, so I knew I had to go back to sleep. I made some peppermint tea, cut some pumpkin bread, and cuddle on my couch with my cat watching Casablanca. It was perfect, by the end, I was ready to go back to bed. I went to work that night for the start of one of the worst 3-day weekends I've worked in a long time, but that's a WHOLE different story...
Now that Christmas is gone until next year, I'll slowly put my Christmas stuff away until next year. Who knows what next year will bring though. I could be in Iraq!! It's amazing how much can happen in a year. I work New Year's Eve and New Year's Night this year. 2 more night shifts, then back to days!! I need some daylight!