Catching Up W/ Xmas 2023

I'm back and playing catch up!

Christmas 2023 was a whirlwind with finishing shopping, wrapping and getting ready for our big after Xmas trip to Australia the day after. Thankfully, we weren't hosting this year so we didn't need to prep the house/food. Just needed to get food/drink for us for Xmas Eve and then make our usual French Toast Casserole for Xmas Brunch and then desserts for Xmas Dinner.

Szurgot Family Xmas

There was family in town so we spent some time before Xmas with them - drinks/dinner and lots of catching up. Xmas Eve we spent mostly packing for our trip. We hit our favorite breakfast spot for brunch and then headed to the 4:45pm mass at church. Dinner was spent with appetizers watching a Xmas movie - just us. We had a busy day ahead of us the next day which would be 12 hours of non-stop activity. 

It started at 8am with the baking of the French Toast casserole followed by presents (Austen got a Mac Book; Peyton a lot of clothes, make up an T. Swift; Hailey got a desk for her room with accessories) and then getting ready to head to my family's festivities. (Each year, we alternate with my family doing Xmas or Xmas Eve.) Arrived about 11am and ate brunch, lots of presents and catching up before leaving at 2pm to race back home (40 minute drive), unload, reload, let out and feed Sadie and then drive another 45 minutes to Tom's family for Xmas dinner. We arrive a little after 4pm. Ate some appetizers, caught up, had dinner, more presents and finally left about 10pm. Home a little before 11pm. Gave Sadie some love and then dropped into bed exhausted to get some sleep before our afternoon flight the next day to Australia. It's hard to leave the day after Xmas for vacation and we don't do it often but it was worth it. More on that later but it was a fun and very full holiday season - phew, I'm getting tired just thinking about it again!

Gianfrancesco Cousins' Xmas

Xmas Morning!

The Szurgot Boys and Lauren's Fiancé!