Excited to Start a New Year!

I’m chomping at the bit to start the New Year!

For work, the first weekend of the 2011 and we already have OT. Check “work OT when offered” on my list of accomplishments for 2011!

I also am going to work on getting “The Fiebig Gym” in order in the basement. Right now, it’s cluttered with patio furniture!

To go along with the gym, I see that at the Walker Fitness Center that they offer a spin class on Friday mornings that isn’t too early, that I plan on visiting this coming week! Very excited to get back on track when it comes to working out but I’m sure this spin class will kick my tush the first few times!

Besides that… I’m starting to get my tan on for going cruisin’! Only 37 days and we will be on the high seas heading to our first port of call! A new bathing suit is on its way from VS for this excited vaca!

Next weekend, we celebrate baby Reil with a baby shower for Jilly!

There are also a few special people in my life that share the birthday of January 11 that brings some more celebrations!

I have a feeling life isn’t going to calm down… but I look forward to everything it has to bring in 2011! :D

Leland Here We Come!

This weekend is one of my favorite winter weekends of the year... for years, the whole family...Moores, Plaintes, Weavers, and now Reils and Fiebigs... head up to our grandparents house located on Lake Michigan to celebrate our Christmas together! With it being a tourist area, its hard to really appreciate its quaintness! But at this time of the year, you feel like you have the area all to yourselves... even the locals seem to have gone to warmer ground! It is so peaceful! You can walk on the beach and there be no sign of people... with them living on a private drive, a lot of times there isn't many people on the beach anyways! The whole weekend is sort of planned out even though its not anything that anyone besides my family would probably think is exciting!

Ryan and I usually head up Friday, making stops at the Gap Outlet to get some great deals! We are usually the first and have a nice dinner with my grandparents before the house is full of people! Later in the night on Friday, my aunt, uncle, and cousin usually show up... grandma always has something yummy made for desert for when they arrive! Saturday mid-morning, my parents arrive! They usually make it in time for a meal, soup! Sometimes,if we are lucky, we get some of Uncle Fred's Famous Gumbo, besides a few other choices homemade by grandma. After a hearty dinner, mom is ready to get a group to go out on an adventure... a.k.a wine tasting and shopping in the stores that are still open in Suttons Bay. This usually ends up with someone purchasing a "Leland" tee or sweatshirt and a few bottles of wine, for later! ;) By the time we get back, grandma is ready to put out hors d'oeuvres... yes, more food! Which also means, its about time to open presents! We used to get stockings but have stopped that tradition now that Jim is 18. But us kids, well in grandmas eyes, get ornaments! She is the best at picking out ornaments that fit our personality. Last year Jill and I got houses! :) After the excitement of seeing again what we probably picked out when we went shopping with grandma, we move on to dinner! MORE FOOD! By the end of the night we are stuffed... and we haven't even had our ice cream and hot fudge yet. Since we are SO full, we usually gather around the TV to see the championship NCAA girl's volleyball teams play. The last couple years Penn State was in the championship, which a graduate of Leland (probably only 10 kids per graduating class) led Penn State to the title! :D Than its time for ice cream! Our night is not done yet... if the weather isn't too bad... yeah right, even if it is bad... a group of us venture to the casino to hand over $20 to the Native Americans for a hour or so of entertainment! Sunday for breakfast, more food, grandma serves her homemade Cinnamon rolls and gives each family a plate of them to take home for Christmas morning. Usually Sunday is laid back... our family picture around the "Merry Christmas" sign... taking a stroll down the snow covered road, venturing to the beach to capture a picture or two of the quietness and peacefulness of the landscape! As usually, its always so sad to leave... how could it not be leaving such a wonderful place! I think I am more sad to leave my grandparents house than I am coming back from a cruise during the middle of winter! Its just magical!

Getting in to the Spirit of the Season

Hopefully Ryan won't mind my newest purchase, the fakest looking adorable Christmas tree EVER! Mom has a tree just like this at home that is decor for the log cabin-looking man den that my dad calls home! One thing mine had that hers doesn't.... lights! :) We'll see how long it lasts in its current location! I'm sure that he will ask me to move it in less we find another home for our real Christmas tree! Tis the Season to Decorate!