A holiday recap: Bullet point style

I swear I was just getting ready for Christmas yesterday. And now? I look at my calendar and apparently it's done. Been done for a couple of days already. Huh. Seems like I missed it. Or maybe that's because for the entire holiday season I never sat down.

Since it all seemed to go by in a whirlwind, I give you a holiday recap. In bullet point style.

• Christmas Eve: Worked until noon. Swung by my apartment, loaded up the clothes and presents and then went dashing through the snow (literally) on my way north to my parents' house.
• First stop of the Christmas Eve whirlwind: My brother's house for Christmas with The Rugrats. Batman, The Grinch, and a bunch of whales went over well. Next it was out to my Mom's side of the family highlight? The Hellion's reaction to me opening my gifts. He's two, so he was really into the present thing this year. Going from person to person as we opened our gifts. Me? I got two small gift boxes from my Godmother. When I opened the first one, there was cash. But the Hellion? He didn't see that. He looked disappointed. For me. Then wanted me to move on to the next, slightly larger box. When I opened it, he failed to see the ornament inside. Instead he thought it was empty. He gave me the "Man, you got ripped off" look, glanced down at an envelop sitting next to my feet and walked away with a disgusted look on his face. Guess he doesn't quite get the whole gift card concept yet and that it truly is a good gift. Still. Priceless.
• Finished the night by opening gifts with my parents.
• Christmas morning was the traditional trek back to my brother's house where we're on toy opening duty. It's our job to navigate the boxes, twist ties, screws and other assorted plastic that hold kids' toys securely in boxes. In return: We get fed.
• More trips to various family members' houses during the day and evening.
• Day after Christmas. Forget about fighting the crowds at the malls. Nope. Stayed home for a bit and then it was on to tree hopping with my Dad's side of the family. Five houses, lots of crackers, a few cookies and lots of laughter. Throw in some Wii bowling, tennis and golf and a good time was had by all.
• Hung out with the district attorney and a bunch of sheriff's deputies on Saturday night at a going away party for a captain. It was held out in a barn in the middle of nowhere. But apparently someone gave the big hippopotamus directions. Because the hippo? He must have been on his way to the party when someone shot him and sent him to the taxidermist. Because there he was, above the bar, coming out of the wall.
• Oh yeah, that party the hippo crashed? It was sandwiched by more family. And let's not even talk about the Badgers, who were utterly disappointing during the day.
• At least the Packers didn't get embarrassed Sunday, handing Detroit it's 16th loss of the season. How embarrassing would that have been if the Lions had won?
• And today? On my final day of vacation before I head back to the world of work? I did absolutely nothing. Well, I did go to the grocery store since my cupboards were bare. But other than that, it was pure laziness.

In all, a good holiday season.