My Christmas Trip to NJ: The Pizza Weekend

It finally happened! I was able to get on a plane (just 20 minutes late for a change) and WHOOSH! I was off to see my friends and family in NJ. This is always a hard trip for me - I look forward to going & I dread the running around and disappointing those that I am unable to visit for one reason or another.

I was sad that I couldn't see Laurie and her family, especially since I ruined Hanukkah by giving the kids Blue Ray DVDs instead of the regular old DVDs. OK, who knew that they wouldn't work in a normal DVD player?? (PS- I learned that a Play Station 3 WILL play Blue Ray DVDs, but they didn't have one of those either) Now I know of only 2 things that their household does not contain. I am unlucky that way.

I was able to spend a GREAT evening with Sue and the kids, and Rob and his son, and Carol. We loaded ourselves in the minivan and went to Jenkinson's Aquarium to witness Christmas Under The Sea. (NOTE: Christmas Under the Sea was just the same old aquarium with Christmas lights everywhere, but it was still fun.) On the way, we sang silly, mixed-up Christmas songs like, "Throw salami at your Mommy, Fa La La La La..." Good times. Afterwards, we ate pizza. A LOT of really good NJ pizza. I was in my happy happy.

Here is a photo of Val and Carol, highlighting one of the best things that NJ has to offer... besides me (LOL) Look at the smile on her face! It was as if we asked her to break a law or something!

Saturday, I visited with my cousins and exchanged gifts. We also had very good pizza.

It was a pizzalicious weekend.

That afternoon I headed to my brother's house, mom & dad in tow, to see my nieces, Jordan & Devynn. MAN! Are they cute! Just overlook that big scratch on Devynn's forehead. Trust that I didn't put it there :-) We played with Play-Doh and built a gingerbread house that looked like I decorated it with my feet. Jordan's design theory was, "Lick the candy and stick it on the house." Nice.

Sunday I shopped, which I hate to do. I don't like the looking, the rack hunting, the finding or not finding the right size, the trying on, the static-y hair, the putting things back on the hangers the right way even though no one else ever does. I especially didn't appreciate the fact that the young girl in front of me let the door hit me on the way out. If my mom wasn't with me I would have addressed it and it wouldn't have been in the holiday spirit, you can bet on that.

There's something about going home that toys with me. For one, I am SO happy to have such a great relationship with my mom & dad. I know, just by looking at them, how much they love me. If I needed anything, they'd do it. No questions. (Well, minimal questions from my mom, none from my dad :-) I adore being with my girlfriends, even though we bust each other's chops on a fairly routine basis. But the traffic, and the rushing, and the drama take it's toll. Each night that I climbed into my old bed I immediately thought, "I need to take this bed back. It's SO comfortable!" Then I toss and turn all night and have crazy dreams that leave me feeling on-edge. Wacky.

Get this, my trip home? Nothing bad happened! It didn't even rain! NOT ONE DROP! And, to top that, as if that's not enough... my flight arrived 20 minutes EARLY! Maybe this means I've turned a corner... c'mon 2009!!