Then there were the holidays.
Tony’s family left on the 18th, which was a Thursday. We intended to take the next day and night and be by ourselves, alone, and have Christmas. However, when we got up Friday morning, the 19th, we read the weather and realized that there was going to be ridiculous snow fall in the cities and on the roads leading to Aberdeen. We decided right then to do our Christmas in the afternoon, get packed, and get on the road.
We were in Aberdeen from Friday the 19th all the way through Christmas Eve. Luckily, Liza’s parents have a guest bedroom now, so the dogs were able to have a place to be, and so were we. We spent lots of good family time, enjoying the relaxation that comes with holiday break, and really getting some good resting done. On Christmas Eve, we packed up everything and the dogs and went in the RV with Mark, Diane, Michael, and their three little dogs, to Hendricks for the night. We spent Christmas Eve with Grandpa Allen and Mark’s sister Becky and Becky’s husband. It was a nice, quiet, calm Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas Day with Diane’s family, at the local cafe, and it was so much fun to see all of the aunts and uncles and cousins on Christmas Day. Also, Scott and Nora and Sheldon came to Hendricks for Christmas day, which was great as well.
We headed back to Aberdeen in the RV late on Christmas day. Since Scott hadn’t arrived early enough before Christmas Eve, we hadn’t had a chance to do a family Christmas with Liza’s family. So, on Friday the 26th, we had the Johnson Family Christmas. Of course, poor Scott and Nora had the flu, as did little Sheldon, so we missed Nora and Sheldon and poor Scott probably didn’t enjoy his Christmas that much.
On Saturday ,the 27th, we got up somewhat early and headed up to Jamestown. We’d just seen all of Tony’s family, but not for Christmas! That night was Christmas eve for Tony’s mom and family. We got to see Tony’s mom Darla, as well as his dad George, who came to spend Christmas with the family, and who was very much appreciated! Of course, Tony’s little sister Kelsey was there. Also, Tony’s sisters Wendy and Laurel were there, as well as Angell and Allysin and James, as well as Laurel’s husband Brian and Laurel’s son Hunter. So, we got to see almost everyone in Tony’s family! His older sister Becky stopped over with her kids Bailyee and Alex, and her other children Corby and Daisy stopped by the next day. So, it really was a family gathering!
We spent all day Sunday, the 28th, in Jamestown, just enjoying the family and resting. We came back to Minneapolis on the 29th, and spent the next two days relaxing and unpacking. We had a great, restful, fun, and happy New Years Eve with the gang at Sarah and Dustin’s apartment.
No rest for us, however! The days between Christmas and New Years were spend unpacking, rearranging, and then packing again for Liza. She headed to Boston on the 2nd for her final grad school residency. Saturday, she graduates with her Masters in Creative Writing!!!!
