Holidays with The Holladays
(Bruce & Jennie Holladay)

This has been a busy couple of days. We have celebrated in Attica, St. Clair (The Holladay's), East China Township (The Salisbury's), Manchester (The Sahakian's) and Sharon Township (my Mom & Dad.) Needless to say the Holladay's Holidays can be exhausting in travel alone.

It started out at in Attica with Bruce and I exchanging presents. I got the totally awesome iPod Touch (Grandpa and Max are enjoying watching a movie on the it.) And Bruce got a couple of zip up sweaters, because it may have been the summer of the dress but for Bruce it is the winter of the zip up sweater. He got some other fun stuff including NHL hockey for the PS3. We played before we let the house and quickly learned that we aren't very good. We ended with a tie game of 0 to 0, then we had a shoot out after about 20 loser shots, we finally had two go in. I ended up winning but there was no skill involved whatsoever.

Then we went to Bruce's parent's house in St. Clair. We exchanged gifts with his Mom, Dad and sisters. They were very accommodating to us because well Bruce and I have a holiday negotiation that starts in about September that usually is challenged by the Local 4 holiday schedule.

Then we headed over to Bruce's mom's side of the family celebration. Bruce has a very large extended family, they are all there. When I first started going I needed a flip book with pictures and names to keep track of them all. But I am happy to say after three years of marriage I know most everyone, I am not sure if they know who I am, but I have got the names down. We have a lot of fun and eat a lot of good food (you will start to see a theme here.) That is a picture of Bruce and his cousin Michelle.

Then we headed out to Manchester, well Bruce made a pit stop to work in Detroit. He directed the morning show. I headed out to Aunt Mary Ann's for the annual Sahakian gift exchange, that has turned into gift pandemonium with the addition of a two and four year-old. What I couldn't believe was that they waited for me to open gifts, I thought for sure that all that would be left was remnants of wrapping paper. It was fun seeing the kids open up their presents. I gave Max and Sophie a book of them making cookies with grandma. It wasn't a huge hit when it was opened, but I think it will grow on them. Max was so funny, he got a pair of Christmas pajamas and when he opened it he was like - oh I love it, this is exactly what I wanted.

Then we headed back to my parent's house. It was kind of a dicey ride home because it had rained and then iced the roads up. But we all made it home safely. When we were getting for bed, the kids were pumped up on chocolate and full of funny moments.

On Christmas day - Bruce arrived early to open presents with my sister, Josh, the kids and my parents. Then we began to prepare for the big Sahakian/Kump/Ryan/Dutkowski dinner. That is when we take my small childhood home and cram as many people in it as possible (approx. 26-28) and stuff ourselves silly with food. Good food. I always eat way way too much. It sounds painful, but it is a lot of fun. We are all loud and there is a lot of laughter. This year Bruce and I brought Rock Band, as I said earlier - we had Base of Ace breaking it down in the living room (the Ace of Base cover band - however Rock Band doesn't include any Ace of Base songs, I wonder if we can fix that because clearly that is an oversight.)

Then Bruce and Daisy went home to get some rest and tend to the cats. I stayed back at the Sahakian Home to hang out with the fam a little longer. The kids crack me up. We went to McDonald's and played. It was sweet when I left, both Sophie and Max where sad and they said don't go Aunt Jennie because we will miss you. It was so sweet. It almost made me want to stay but I needed to get home and let out the dog because Bruce was working the Piston's game tonight.

So that is the summary of the Holladay's Holiday. We cap off the week with a New Year's Eve hanging out with the 7:11 Club in Lima, Ohio. Woo Hoo!!!!