Holiday Recap

Christnika has come and gone. So much food! After Thanksgiving, Corey's cousin Anne asked us to bring back an old mixer she was getting from her Aunt. As a joke, I told her we would but only if she gave us some cookies that she made with it. She wasn't kidding when she agreed. We got about 7 different kinds of cookies, just from her, not to mention candy from Pete and the almond brittle we bought. Yikes!
We didn't focus on gifts too much this year. Corey and I didn't exchange any at all, but we did get some great shirts from my mom and spending cash from my dad and Corey's parents for our trip.
One of the best gifts we got was the Match Game DVD collection from Pete. It's a ton of fun to watch: the hilarious 70's awkward sexual innuendos and host Gene Rayburn along with Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Somers get more and more drunk throughout the episodes. Apparently the liquor was free flowing and they would tape a weeks worth of episodes in one day. Must be a nice job to have.


Saturday we went to The Chicago Cultural Center to see "Puppets, Music, Masks Tell Tale of Nutcracker and King of Mice." Our friend Emily was a puppeteer for these handmade marionette characters. It was very impressive. First of all the show was great, but I was impressed that Emily could play 3 main characters plus others throughout the whole show. I don't know how she kept the voices straight. Though, much like Emily, I'm sure I'd be pretty sick of little kids by the end of the run. Seriously, if you take your child to see a show, teach them to respect the art. Just because it's a puppet show, doesn't make it okay for them to jump around on stage, peer behind the curtain and lift up the stage draping. Get a leash for your child or teach them manners! Sheesh! Anyways, if you're in the Chicago area, and can be respectful, you should definitely check it out. I think there are still a few performances left.

On Sunday, we had both friends and family over for Christinka dinner. And late that night there was even a Colin Murray sighting. Apparently kids, if you leave out beer and cookies, he'll magically appear in your living room. He really does exist!

I say we didn't exchange gifts, but now that I think about it I guess we are going to do a belated Christnika gift for ourselves. We decided to buy a Nintendo Wii. Briette, Corey and I drove to several electronics stores looking for the damn toy, but of course because of the Christmas rush, they were sold out. The one craze we actually get on and we're too late. Man! When I want something, I want it now!

Next up is New Years Eve! So far we don't have any major plans, no one I know does, but I do have an 07' goal: Talk Briette and her husband into moving to Chicago. I'll keep you posted as to how that goes.

-Mo