Christmas AAR

It all began last Friday, by waking up at 3:30am and driving to the airport for some Holiday travel. The flights themselves were non-eventful, which is good news as far as flights go, but we were delayed on our flight to DC so we missed our flight to Boston and had to wait an hour for the next one. It was only sad because my uncle at this time was driving around the terminal at Logan so he wouldn’t have to pay for parking. Eventually we got there and traveled to Maine, being greeted by my Nana with a fresh pot of Fish Chowder. It was immediately real good to be back in New England.
Then my wife and my siblings and I went to blockbuster to get a movie. I don’t know if the four Donahue kids have ever been out together on a journey like that, but it was pretty great. Ed has a beard that makes me look like Dave or Andy, so everyone at blockbuster was amused to see this strange group of people invade their store.
Pete and Amara VanAmburg stopped over, and we spent an hour or two catching up and listening to Jethro Tull. Pete had never really listened to them before, so it was necessary. It was awesome to see them again, and I told Pete that all I need to hear in order to move back to New England is that he needs a drummer. Serious. Ken Driscoll was scheduled to come over, but it turns out he hurt his back the night before and couldn’t make it – We missed you bro!
Christmas eve was a blast, and it was all my parents house and it was out of control. We spent most of our time with Aunt Mary, Uncle Chris, and their twins Abe and Sophie. They are the coolest, and I will get pics up right quick. Abe looks like a miniature Pete VanAmburg to me (You may recognize that name from his hit Devastatin’ Dave, Turntable Slave).

When it came time to open presents I was beckoned aside and in great fear was ordered to don a Santa Claus outfit. Julie got it on film and the video itself wont make it on here but I am sure a few stills from it will. About halfway through I was so hot I had to take off the beard and hat and Abe exclaimed “It’s not Santa! It’s cousin Joe!” I felt so bad, I hadn’t thought about their reaction to it. My bad.
Christmas day was nonstop. It was a blast, but it started about 6am at my house, followed by Julie’s parents house by 9. Morning Service in Lisbon Falls at 11 and a party at Julie’s Aunt’s house at 2. We left at 4 to be up to another party in Strong by 5, and sometime after 9 we made it safely back to Sabattus. We met up with her cousin Kaylene and husband Matt Bacon, and it was good to see them and everyone else from the family as well.
::whew:: Monday was spent STILL shopping, only this time for ourselves. The Gap Outlet in Freeport is an old friend that we spent some time with, and we had lunch at Panera in South Portland followed by the purchasing of a jacket I have been wanting for a number of years now from Men’s Wearhouse. Thanks to my Mom for helping to make that happen! Tuesday was spent running around and finally making it back home to Kansas City by 11pm.