Let the Blogging begin!

We made it home to Puerto Rico last night. It was a long day of flying! I discovered yesterday that I prefer to have a non-stop flight as opposed to having a lay over like we did. Granted it wasn't much of a lay over but it does make a difference. Here are some pics I took of our trip back home...enjoy! Here's Nic and Anna the first day I was home. I realize it might have been kind of morbid but they looked so nice getting ready for the funeral.










I took over mom and dad's Christmas tree in Lenexa. On Wednesday the 13th, I went to Ft. Leavenworth and then spent the afternoon wrapping Christmas gifts from Puerto Rico. Those gifts are just the ones I got done Wed. and Thurs...there were lots more by the time Christmas rolled around!













When Courtney finally arrived it was time to meet with friends and family. We spent Thursday in Leavenworth with Carol & Ben and some friends. Then Thursday night it was dinner with the Bridges family, Johnson family, Clamurro, and Jared. It was so nice once Anna warmed up to Courtney. No matter how mad she is at him she loves her Uncle Courtney! On Friday we spent the day with Nic and Anna and then Friday night was more friends...complete with Karaoke at High Noon. Here's a pic of Anna and her Uncle Friday afternoon, Jim singing Dream On by Aerosmith, and Courtney and Ben singing La Bamba. Ben wasn't too thrilled Courtney pulled him up there because 1) Ben doesn't know all the words to the song, and 2) Ben didn't know Courtney had signed him up to sing with him!














We drove to Salina Saturday and did Christmas with Calvin, Donna, and the kids. here's a picture of our niece (the supermodel!) and nephews. That night it was Christmas with Grandma Butler, Aunt Kim, and the Cole family. Sunday we drove to Wichita for Christmas with the Johnson side of the family, Church in Salina that night, then to Ada and back to Minneapolis on Monday for Christmas with well just about everyone! As you can see, the men had a poker game going while the kids played Bingo in Ada.

We spent the rest of the week in Minneapolis seeing people and went back to Lenexa on Friday evening after a detour through Sabetha. Saturday we shopped all day (and didn't buy a thing!), Sunday it was off to St. Louis ahead of the big storm that hit everyone else! Sunday night we went to the casino in St. Louis, spent way too much on their buffet, and were in bed early because we had to be up at 5:00. Our flight was alright. We had a little puddle jumper to Charlotte and a huge plane from there to San Juan. It was the biggest plane I've ever been on. Everyone and their dog and baby (literally!) decided to fly on New Year's Day. We got back safe and sound, the dogs didn't destroy our house, and life is good! It was great to see everyone while we were home. Now we're just waiting for visitors down here!!