My Hometime Visits

Sorry for the gap - it was the first week of school...seriously! Besides, this is one of the long ones...I have been working on this one for DAYS! Geez...get off my back!

So while I was home for about a month, I had some absolutely incredible visits with all of my hometown peeps. I will say one thing that made these visits absolutely wonderful...this blog. Apparently people actually read this thing, and they already know most of the crazy antics that I have been up to. After only a few questions about what's really going on, we can just get back to talking about whatever, and not focus as much on my experiences. This has also made the "I haven't seen you in over 4 months...this could be interesting" awkwardness very minimal. In fact, It almost felt like I hadn't left. It felt great! So, here are some of those visits that I had while stateside.

-Home At Last...Where Are The Pastries?

Ok, so, as most of you know, I arrived home on December 14 sometime in the afternoon to an excited and eager family at O'Hare. The only way that I would even go home with them was if they had brought my donuts (I kid you not - this was the one thing that I asked for...if there was just a box donuts and a set of keys for the car waiting in the terminal, I would have been equally as happy. alright, thats a bit untrue, but thats about how excited I was for these...but I digress). They, did, as well as Kim (little stinker said she was busy all day...oh you!), and we were on our way home, first of course stopping to get some good-ol' American grub (I ate a taco and some popcorn chicken...Welcome Home!!!). I had my groundings, and was ready to see my peeps.

-My Best McMahon

First visit that we had to make - surprise Grandma and Grandpa... aka "Operation Freak-Grandma-Out-As-If-I-Were-Ed-McMahon-With-A-Million-Dollar-Check". (Before I got into detail, let me just say that even though I was a wee bit jet legged, and very out of it, her reaction definitely woke me up!) Ok, so here was the plan - My mom already knew that they would be home all day, so we figured that they would not mind visitors at all (especially the grandson that they hadn't seen in a few months!). So, we sneakily parked the van, and I alone walked up to the door and rang the bell...best part, though...I had my video camera running! Seriously, the poor woman couldn't form sentences when she saw me in the window. In fact, she excitedly just kept repeating "OH MY...DAVID...TEDDY...HERE...DAVID...TEDDY!!!" It was absolutely priceless! After I summoned the rest of the family in, we had a wonderful visit!

-Good Idea?

After 12 hours in transit, 4 different countries (Switzerland - Milan, Italy - Munich, Germany - USA), visiting with most of the family, and driving for most of the afternoon, the best thing for me would have been a relaxing evening...and I probably concur. But what would the next best this had been? How about hanging out with the gang at Webb's!?! Umm....OK!

Weeks before coming home, I made a promise to some of the friends that we had to meet up right away, and that the most appropriate place would be our good ol' George Webb's. And, as always, what time? How about 11pm?! (This already...bad idea...). I was sort of in and out of it all evening, even taking a few naps here and there, but I knew that I realllllllly wanted to see these people, so I had to pull it together and go. Thinking ahead, though, I knew that I probably wouldn't be in the best condition by that point, so I thought ahead...Missy drove!

Webb's was the best "Welcome Home" recipe ever! Throw in Liz, three Sarahs, two sisters, Marie and a Craig (did I forget anyone? hope not!!!), and you get a ridiculously fun evening! Seriously, woot woot! (Though, I will say, at some point, I did feel myself fall asleep at the table, but I rebounded when my Super George combo and hash browns came) When I was coherent and lucid, the stories and gossip flew! It was just like the lunch table again, but with better food (side note...I kinda miss hot lunch...just thought about that...sorry, it's late - having some focusing issues...). Such a fun evening!

-Never Too Much Wied!

So you know how there are some people that you could hang out with like...everyday? Like, you could travel with them or even live with them and they would never get annoying? Enter Julie Wied...absolutely one of these people!

I saw Julie a few times over this break...oh, actually more than I saw some of my family. There was that Great Wraps lunch with Jessi, that random breakfast (who does breakfast anymore...Julie!), that one time that I felt like a creeper while looking for at her throught the windows to see if she was working...Why a creeper? She works at Victoria's Secret...enough said. Oh yea, and then there was that ridiculous time with Rachel at P.F. Changs...I am still sick from that Great Wall of Chocolate! (Ok, if you have never eaten at that restaurant...GO! it is AMAZING!) No matter where we were, whenever it was, it was filled with laughter and her asking me to come to school at Milwaukee. What can I say...a true friend!

-BABY!!!!!

If there was one person/little bundle of joy that I had to see when I was home, it was my niece Cadence. I know that she has NO idea of who I am, and even is quite frieghtened by me, but let's face it, I am enamoured by her, and had to see her for at least four days (according to the list, anyways...). So, I did!

Yes, she cried whenever I tried to hold her at our family's Holiday Round Robin Festivities, but I was determined to win her back...So, I spent the entire day with her and Ali (thank GOD I didn't to win Ali back at the same time...that would have been waaaay too much for me in one day!) for some last minute Christmas shopping (aka "The box hasn't come yet with all of my gifts in it?...Plan B!" day). And, after a few stops, and multiple "If you keep doing that, its going to stay that way" faces, she was coming around! And then there was Christmas, which I will get into a bit more later, but she was SOOOOOO ADORABLE! I guess to mash into one final day of the four, I spent some hours in the mornings with her while my mom babysat...seriously, her and Shelby (best dog EVER)...a comedy team. I'd pay to just watch them together all day long (ok, that sounds kinda creepy, paying to watch an infant, but you know what I mean...)!

-Enter The Harem

Every year, my parents hold this ridiculous After Christmas party filled with good friends, great food, and the occasional designated driver (I'm just saying...). Well, this year, since it fell while I was briefly home, my parent's decided that I could invite some of my friends over. So, as always, I invited numerous people on Facebook, and wouldn't you know it, most all of them showed up! Seriously, I had 12 people come, which doesn't sounds like a lot, but if you have ever been to this party you know full well that adding 12 people into the mix is quite daunting. After the group dwindled to about 9, we somehow squeezed into my room (again, if you have seen my room, oy) and played Taboo. It was tight, but oh so much fun!

Now you may be wondering about the "Enter The Harem" subtitle...well, if you know me, chances are that you know that a majority of my friends are of the female pursuasion...seriously, I know like 5 guys...it's just one of my things...I don't know! But yea, 9 of the 12 were females, and I got anything from "Hey, congratulations!" to "How the @%$# does he do that?" the entire night...Eh, whatever...they are just jealous!

-Other Visits That I Had Better Mention For Fear Of Getting Yelled At...

--GOLDEN CORRAL follewed by the most RIDICULOUS time ever in a Wal Mart...hmm, no wonder why some of those Christmas decorations were 75% off...sooooooo fun, and great pictures!

--Chancery with Mensa (I think that's what I will call them from now on...yea, I like that...let's face it, they make me feel stupid anyways...it's fitting!). Niki, Teresa, Rajitha and I (see?) grabbed a bite to eat and debated Madison vs Charleston...but besides that, it was great!

--Culver's with YAB Nicki. Oh, so good to see her! And, so good to eat that kid's meal! Oh man...lame, I know!

--Lunch with Ali at Edwardo's! (again...if you have never been, GO!). Great catching up, hearing about the family news!

See, I did see a lot of people while I was home...it was crazy busy, but I did it! If I didn't, I am soooo sorry! A more formal apology will be coming up in a future post...