This year we decided to change the traditions we have with both our families and try something new, let’s see how it turned out!

Our Christmas this year started on Christmas Eve with Josh’s family in NJ. We decided to spend full days with each family rather than traveling back and forth between families on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. After our weekly church service we jumped in the Murano Sleigh and headed off to NJ for a day of festivities! Arriving early to help out where needed was nice for it gave us some time to spend with Josh’s Mom, Dad, and Grand mom before others arrived. Josh’s Father opened a bottle of German wine for Megan, while Josh and his father enjoyed a beer in the kitchen helping Josh’s Mom with dinner (after all they are “Kitchen People”).

Dinner was great as always, especially seeing and hearing everyone “fight” for the Fresh Pierogies!!! In case you don’t know Josh’s Mom makes homemade pierogies every Christmas and their kids and grand kids will stab each other with forks to get the newest batch just made!!! (Maybe that’s a bit extreme – maybe not)…

After dinner we were able to relax before dessert and Santa! It was nice to not have to rush right into the next “event”. We received a lot of wonderful gifts, one of Megan’s favorites was the teapot she received and Josh really likes the gift certificate his father gave him for a flight lesson! Then came dessert which was great, however, Megan missed those Apple Pies!!!

The next day we woke up and headed to Megan’s parents for Christmas #2, but this time on Christmas Day. Being that “The Renninger Family Christmas” is held at Megan’s parents, we had to be there bright and early for a small breakfast of fruit salad and cinnamon rolls (obviously the cinnamon rolls were a bigger hit)! Santa treated us well, we were given a variety of gift certificates for such things as a date to miniature golf & ice cream. Josh received a gift from his girlfriend Dora, while Megan received a bug (yeah don’t ask). Dinner was successfully prepared for the 15 of us that were there and right after we said Grace we heard Skype buzz…. RING RING – RING RING it was Matt!!! It was great hearing him and seeing him and better yet for him to see his family. While he couldn’t be with us and was probably a bit homesick, it had to be nice for him to talk with his extended family after 10 months away!

We enjoyed playing a few games with the cousins – (Have you ever played BONCO?) and then having dessert, which we don’t think there was quite enough to go around, maybe we should work on that for next year. Oh and by go around we mean enough for the entire town, if not state! When the majority of the family left for the day, we watched “What a Wonderful Life” with Nikki, Aunt Diane, & Megan’s Mom (poor Dad had to work).

We had two Wonderful Days of Christmas and still one day to go….

The day after Christmas we were able to celebrate our Christmas together. After sleeping in and making breakfast we sat in front of our Christmas Aquarium and exchanged presents! It was so nice to be able to open our gifts leisurely the next day instead of having to rush through Christmas morning or evening! Later in the day Megan’s Aunt, cousin and parents came over to the house to see our decorations (he he he), have dinner and play games! It was a fun night!

With another Christmas behind us we just want to let everyone know how great of a holiday it was for us. Thank you to both of our parents for being so understanding and allowing us to split our Christmas up in to multiple days! We found it to work better and nice to be able to spend more time with everyone!

Until next year….We love you all!