Frohe Neues Jahr!

Happy New Year!  We have returned from our trip to the US and are back into our (not-so-boring) everyday routine. 

Erin & Lexie

I think we adjusted fairly well from the time change for our first time.  The first day Erin was up at 4:30, the next 6:30.  That morning she said "Well, I have made up 2 hours in one day, two more days and I will be good".  A planner, just like her Father!  Lord help me!  Leading up to Christmas, we spent time with my parent's, Mike's parents and many family and friends. 

We also filled in a lot of shopping, both for Christmas and our return.  Side note, the week leading up Christmas we spent perfectly packing many gifts, four suitcases and 4 carry-on bags.  Everyone had everything.  When we arrived, I had 2 pairs of jean and 2 dresses, and 2 shirts.  I never packed anything for myself!!!  Classic.  So out shopping I went, of course! 


Christmas morning we woke up at 7 AM at Mike's parent's house.  Santa may have mislabeled a few items, but he did good finding us.  He even delivered a new bike to the house in Germany and sent along a picture of it for Erin.  And he brought Ryan (and Mike) a PS4, which wouldn't have been possible with out his elves Rick & Linda hunting one down. 
                                                                         

Then we headed to a delicious dinner with my family, we must cover all portions of the entire State of Pennsylvania!  (We failed, we missed Erie, lol)  As James Franklin would say, we were able to "dominate the state"  (Yes, Mike made me say that)

Maybe we weren't as adjusted as I thought we had been, the kids slept the whole way back to Harrisburg, then slept all night!

Thursday morning we headed out to Pittsburgh to spend some time in Pristine Fields and Pittsburgh.  Thank You again to Dan & Marlena and Mike & Nat for letting us stay with you!

    
                                                                    
The kids got to see so many of their friends (and cousins), but it is never enough.  Santa had also delivered tickets to see the Pitt~Albany basketball game on New Year's Eve. 

New Year's Eve was spent, as it has been for the last few years, in the neighborhood with such good friends.  This year even included a concert! (http://youtu.be/6Wv5xkRWwcA)  For those who don't know, we have an amazing group of neighborhood and Pittsburgh friends, always up for a bonfire, lazy Saturday afternoon watching football or neighborhood t-ball game.  Or a beer or two or three or four.

                            

                     

          

    

  

                                                                                                                                                                       

Thursday morning we packed up and headed back across the turnpike to Harrisburg.  We left from Newark on Saturday, squeezing in our flight between the snow storm and the cold cold cold temperatures settling in.  Even though we flew all night, landing at 6 AM, none of us slept (love Wi-Fi on the plane!).  We were the first flight to land that morning and by 6:40 we were all in our beds.  It's great living so close to the airport.  We slept in until noon and tried to being our re-adjustment.