Christmas 2K12 (in pictures)

Christmas 2012 was pretty darn good!  So as we gear up for New Year's Eve (which will include a five course dinner in Saratoga Springs with suggested beer selections - who's excited?  ME!) here are some pictures from the last few weeks!
 

The 'Christmas week' began with a trip through Washington Park to see the annual 'Holiday Lights in the Park' which benefits PAL (the Albany Police Athletic League).  You basically drive through the park and view some pretty awesome light displays!  It took about an hour and a half but was totally worth it and benefited a good cause!

'Noel' in lights!  At the 'Holiday Lights in the Park'.

Even the sponsors get in on the lights - Dunkin Donuts!

The Thursday before Christmas I wrapped EVERYTHING!  (Do you realize how difficult it is to wrap a 4 foot sound bar?)  It pretty much looked like Christmas exploded all over my apartment.  But then the next day I realized that I could not fly with wrapped presents so I ended up having to unwrap nearly half the gifts and rewrap them once I arrived in Virginia.  Oh well - at least the ones that stayed in Albany were pretty!

The Sunday before Christmas I flew back to Virginia and got to hang out with my bootch!  (a.k.a. my best friend Dana)  She picked me up at Reagan and drove me to Lynchburg, making sure to stop at a Sheetz along the way (oh how I wish Sheetz would come to the NE - such good coffee!)

Once we made it to my parents house we got to hang out with THIS guy - meet Wilson!  He was assisting with the present rewrapping.

The next day - Christmas Eve - Dana and I indulged in something that was so wrong but tasted so right.  Chik-fil-a is delicious, but their politics run completely opposite to my own - the last time I was in Virginia I boycotted CFA, but this time I gave in.  I figured we don't have any in Albany so I could indulge just this once - believe me it did not disappoint!

Yes this looks gross BUT it's our traditional Christmas Eve meal!  SOS a.k.a creamed chipped beef - okay so it still sounds a little gross and only about half the people in my family eat it, but it isn't that bad - especially if you don't mind chugging a gallon of water afterwards.

Christmas Eve mass - happy birthday Jesus ... literally, birthday cake and all!

The day after Christmas I was scheduled to fly back to Albany late - I wasn't scheduled to get in until 10:15 PM and there was a MASSIVE snow storm slated to hit the entire east coast.  I was afraid that I would get stuck in Philadelphia (I had to fly to Philly before flying to Albany) so I decided to take the train instead.  Twelve long hours on the train later I made it back to Albany and basically chased the storm all the way up the east coast.  This was the next day in Albany - well over a foot of snow (and we got a lot more that day)!

Christmas #2 happened on the 27th with Adam and Elise and it was wonderful!  I got a pair of awesome spinning shoes (more on those later) and Adam cooked us a delicious meal - ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans and buttermilk biscuits - yum!

 So that was Christmas!  It was nice to go back to Virginia for a few days and even better to make it back to Albany without getting stuck in an airport or a snow bank.  I am super excited for New Year's Eve tonight and then equally as excited to have tomorrow off of work to relax, recover and get my new phone - iPhone 5 here I come!

 

Here's to a fabulous 2013!