Monday, January 5, 2009

Good times

Wow. I'm sure many of you are in the same place I am right now. Trying to get back into routines. Cleaning, organizing, finding places for new toys, recalling fun memories, missing the vacation time, but also glad to be home and settled. It's all just a little overwhelming isn't it? I am finding it to be not so easy to ease back into pre vacation life. The past two weeks were quite full and busy! I've missed being on line, but more than any thing I just enjoyed being with my family! I've decided there is just way too much to write to even begin to try to fill you in on my life during my blogging absence. I will probably fill you in a little here and a little there, but likely alot of my personal memories are just that; personal to me and likely a bit tedious to all of you. :) Today I just want to share one special part of my holiday. This was something I had SO much fun with, could hardly wait to see a reaction from, and got more than I had hoped. :) I've mentioned my sister Trish on my blog a time or two - or more. She's just that special to me. :) We are only 22 months apart and are even closer emotionally than we are numerically. :) That sounded really corny - but what evah. It's true. Over the years Trish has often mentioned this New Zoo Revue game that we had when we were kids. We played it often and really liked it. Hard to believe it was probably 20+ years ago! Like most well liked and oft played with toys and games it eventually must have found the fate that such things do - in some far away broken toy and game land. :) About a year ago I started looking for the game on ebay. I had no luck. I thought it would be so fun to surprise Trish with this game some time. I would check ebay every few months to see if some one had listed it in an auction, and finally in November I found it! I was excited, but then started having second thoughts. I mean, really, this was a game for little kids. She could be really bummed by it - hoping for something a little bit more age appropriate and all. :) The very day I was having second thoughts Trish and I talked on the phone and she brought the game up in conversation again. "Okay", I thought, "this seals the deal. I have to get it!" :) See for yourself~
Christmas with my side of the family 12-28-08

So much fun! My four siblings and I spent the next hour or so playing and laughing together and it seemed we were all transported temporarily back to our childhood. :)

Someday perhaps I will tell you about the precious time spent with my out of state cousins whom I haven't seen in a long time, how I realized as never before how important family really is to me, about our Christmas Eve camp out in our living room, the ice we traveled on for four hours and God's protection, the trip to see my family that can be made in about 8 1/2 hours that we made in 11 1/2, the fun with sisters, the oh-so-classy dress nabbed at target for $12 (important stuff!!), My sweet mom and dad who delighted in surprising us with a very unexpected money gift, the hotel stay, which happened partly because of that gift, which made our return trip so much more enjoyable, the swimming fun, the birthdays celebrated, the hopes for our new year...

Whew! There is just SO much. I guess I did just tell you all about it though didn't I? :)

20 comments:

Heather said...

Glad to hear you had a wonderful break! I'm looking forward to your return to more regular posts!

Kristy said...

I am so glad that you had a wonderful time with your family. It is easy to forget how much they mean to us during the day to day. Those times when we get together become all the more special. What wonderful memories. And Trisha's face was fabulous!!

sara said...

sounds like a perfect holiday!!!

Lena said...

I know how hard it is to get back into the post Christmas routine... I am having a hard time with it as well. Winter is always a toughy.Thanks so much for sharing about your holidays- I am so glad they turned out wonderful!

Jacy said...

That is so sweet,I bet you guys had so much fun reliving those child hood memories! Glad to hear you had a wonderful Christmas and so much fun in between

xoxo

Sara@iSass said...

I love the look on her face...total joy. That for me is what giving a gift is. The unexpected surprise from the receiver. Games are SO much fun to play...I have many many cherished memories that invovle games. This year the kids got 6 games total and we have spent every night playing at least one.
Elefon is really big around here, and trouble...we love to popping dice.
My favorite game of all time...LIFE.
I would get SO upset if I didn't have at least 2 kids! I could care less about how much my paydays were...I wanted a car full of kids!
Now a days I like the SCENE IT games...or TABOO.
Have you ever done a Murder Mystery party, where you have 6-8 people and dress up like charaters and have to read clues from books to find out who the Killer is? We've done a few of those too! Wicked fun. (The outfits are the BEST part.)

Amanda said...

love that you were able to transport all of your siblings back to childhood...that is, indeed, a gift...i LOVE the look on your sister's face as she opened the package! and wendi, i hear you about getting back into the routine...the extra time with mike home was so lovely...and though we didn't travel i still feel like we're regrouping, and today...well getting back into the routine has simply been a little "blah". and yet...as i do the laundry and fold it, as i prepare and plan for dinner, as i change diapers i keep reminding myself that God is highly glorified when i delight in my role as "keeper of the cheerios"!

Mari said...

What a great surprise for your sister. Don't you love to give those kinds of gifts?

Lois said...

Love your post Wendy. I miss it when you don't do one. You are so gifted. Even knowing the great gift to give. Love,
Aunt Lois

Mel said...

So glad your holiday was filled with family and love. Welcome back have missed you...

i remember that game

Heather of the EO said...

I love the pics of the gift opening! Such surprise and awe. So much fun. I'm glad your holidays were filled with joy and (travel) protection. :)

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

I LOVED New Zoo Review and Begged my mom to name my baby sister Henrietta!

Amanda Hoyt said...

Your Christmas with family sounds like so much fun!
Hope you had a great day.
Hugs,
Amanda

dani said...

i bet your sister was over the moon, wendi:D you are one of several bloggers who has brought up the new zoo review in the last couple of months. i guess freddie frog, henrietta hippo, and charlie owl have just been on the brain this season... for some reason.
i'm glad you enjoyed your holidays and made it safely home.
happy 2009!!!
love,
dani

Kari Dawson said...

When a gift is as personal as the one you chose for your sister it is so much more meaningful. How fun that you captured the moment in a photo forever. My mom is a lover of lighthouses and went on a tour around the state this summer with my dad on thier Harley. She's been asking me for months to fussy em' up for her and I kept putting her off. So, for Christmas I had an image from each lighthouse matted and framed and, she cried! It was priceless! I love giving!

Jackie said...

Oh, I love it...look at her face!!! It was the perfect gift, and there's nothing like playing a childhood game with your 4 siblings (I know how you feel, there's 5 kids in my family too, and we always play our old games and do puzzles when we get together).

Beth in NC said...

Hi Wendi! I'm glad you had a great time with your family. You look like you're having fun in your pics.

You have won a bloggy award. Please come to my blog to retrieve it.

Love,
Beth

Elizabeth Byler Younts said...

super adorable shots. oh, and i loved your christmas card...precious!

Sarah@Life in the Parsonage said...

Awww!! I'm just catching up on your posts...Trisha's expression is PRICELESS! Way to go Wendi! :)

Stacey said...

Next time maybe we all can get together! I thought Amy might call, but I am sure you all were very busy fitting it all in! Glad you had such a great time!
Did you all remember how to play the game?