Just Laugh.: A Big Family Visit, a Laid-back Christmas and a Miserable Cold

So this year, Justin and I hosted Christmas! 11 (originally 12) people in our itty-bitty apartment. 1-week sleeping arrangements for 8 is always interesting, but obviously worth it!

Justin's family finally made it to Greenville the Thursday before Christmas, after a few positive switches and rearranging. At the last minute, Yuna (their foreign-exchange student) decided to stay back in Wisconsin for the holidays and poor Lukus (Justin's youngest bro) couldn't join us this year, because he had to work. It definitely wasn't the same without him. Aside from getting ready for company to arrive, I was suffering from a exhaustingly-miserable cold/sore throat/sinus infection. I had actually been feeling pretty nasty a couple weeks before Christmas and began to feel better, until the night before they arrived. Typical!

[Still] desperate for a haircut

Brothers.

This Christmas was a little less crazy than last year - Remember The Gauntlet and 8 of us in Levi's 1-bedroom apartment? Despite being sick this year, we had a pretty good time.. Cooking and baking, hanging out, playing games, watching movies..the usual. I took on the task of making another giant turkey for a big dinner. I'm beginning to feel like a pro with all the turkey's I've baked in the last 4 years!

Every year the fam visits, we seem to be hooked on something for the whole trip. Most years it's hardcore Dutch Blitz competitions.. I think last year it was our pictionary/telephone game, "What the Flip". This year, we rocked Need For Speed and we seriously couldn't get enough. I'd say Justin's little sister dominated the most, with her shortcuts and little mind-tricks..

Justin's mom made me the cutest apron ever.. I've been wanting one for the longest time, and I'm so glad I got one! As much as I have grown to dread getting snow in Greenville, it was pretty sweet that it actually snowed on Christmas day. Christmas-snow is really the only kind I miss, after all my years of living in a snowball..