Christmas 2011

Christmas was interesting this year. We had...a good time. We really enjoyed seeing our family however....there was something that happened that would put a damper on anyone's day let alone Christmas.

We flew home to CT on Friday morning and spent the day in the city until we went home on the train with my dad.

After meeting my dad at his office he took us to lunch at an Irish pub. I had the fish and chips, Brian a reuben and my Dad had the Chicken Pot. The food was good and we definitely enjoyed the time together. After that we dropped Dad off at work and went to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and went into the Lego Store

The tree was small this year...

Not nearly as crowded as years past

Rockefeller Center built out of Legos

Welcome sign made out of Legos

Wall of endless Lego pieces

Atlas made out of Legos

Star Destroyer from Star Wars made out of Legos

Death Star from Star Wars made out of Legos

Dragon made out of Legos

The Enterprise and other ships from Star TREK made out of Legos

Friday night Mom made yummy Eggplant Parmesan and off my parents went to pick up my brother. This was the first time I had seen him since my Gamma's funeral and the first time we had both been at the house  since...Junior Year at college? Anyway, that night Brian went to bed relatively early and Mom, my brother and I stayed up late working on a puzzle.

Saturday was Christmas Eve and we had plans to go hang out with his family but first we had to go to Frank Pepe's in New Haven. It wasn't as good as last year but it was very good. As usual, his Uncle went all out on Christmas decorations and we ate the most amazing Sicilian Pizza that night.

Frank's Pizza..that is a medium we ALMOST finished it

Uncles Christmas tree

Outside of Uncles house

Sunday morning, Christmas morning, is when things became sad.....You may have heard in the news but the house almost next door caught on fire and 3 children and 2 grandparents died at 5am on Christmas morning.

For the article here: Stamford Fire....Mom this might be too much of an update for you.  Pictures taken from our front steps:

No zoom or anything. The rest of the day we had extremely rude people driving by, taking pictures, getting in the way of things and using it as a way to kill time on Christmas morning. We had news trucks parked out in front of the house and in the roads at least until Monday morning when we left. We do not know the family other then they moved in about a year ago, however the whole community is feeling the loss. My mom and I are completely freaked though we handle it in completely different ways. She doesn't want to talk at all....I need to tell everyone and anyone. We did not light Christmas lights in the outside or inside to show our respect. My mom has always been iffy on things catching on fire (she doesnt leave small appliances plugged in in case it were to cause a fire) so who knows how this will affect her. And I know I haven't slept well since.

Sunday, while we were dealing with the above my best friend Todd came over to help open Christmas presents. He is Jewish and it was a lot of fun to show him how his idea of Christmas is actually not what happens, at least in our house. After presents we went to see The Muppet Movie which was amazing. I think I even want to buy it. We had our usual Prime Rib for dinner and Brian made the gravy. So good!

We flew home Monday afternoon and are trying to get settled back into a normal routine while closing on the house bright and early Friday morning.