Christmas vacation one day at a time: Day Two

Thursday morning I woke up and meant to run.  Although, I honestly didn't feel like it since I'd just run the night before.  Instead I had a light breakfast that was a mistake and made a list.

Mom, Dad and I headed over to Kroger, a special joy two days before Christmas.  I was in charge of Christmas Ever dinner (cooking for five) and Christmas Day brunch (cooking for six).  Honestly Kroger was fine.  Again it was late enough people weren't grumpy but early enough no one was traumatized from all the shoppers.

By the time we got done shopping ($300 later) we were all starving.  It's SKYLINE TIME!!!  Skyline was so full Dad couldn't find a place to park.  He sent Mom and I inside to snag a table while he addressed himself to parking in the neighborhood.

After Skyline we went over to Fresh Market (like Whole Foods, sort of) for the items on our lists we couldn't find at Kroger.  (Why are there no French Lentils at Kroger I ask you.)  I also picked up fancy sausage and bacon.  Mmmmm.

In the afternoon I told Mom and I need her car and suggested she not ask any questions.  I went to three restaurants for gift certificates for her and Dad.  I got a little gift certificate to a vegan place (the Love Hut?) where the guy had never sold a gift certificate before (serious) but the girl teaching him was nice and she gave me a free egg roll.  The I headed over to Green Dog Cafe which sells local food and it's pretty good.  The guy there probably had sold a gift certificate before, just not in a while.  Last was a little place called Doodles which was the most disconcerting experience of all three, and also the place I got the biggest amount on the gift certificate.  I got home in time to shower and change for dinner.

Mom got tickets to Cinderella at the Ensemble Stage Theater which is a really tiny theater downtown.  She wanted to eat at this place called the Lav O Matic, yes, it used to be a laundromat.  A friend of the family, Marge, was able to join us after her family's travel plans fell through and they didn't make it into town.  Dinner was awesome.  They had excellent beer and really good food.

Cinderella was fantastic.  It was actually a really engaging production.  They made Cinderella a total book worm who didn't want to go to the ball; the fair godmother was a "well wisher" so she gave advice and wished people well; everyone in the play lost one of their shoes at the ball; the prince had a much bigger role and he was a bookworm too.  Great!

After the play, Dad took us through St Bernard for the lights show.

Then I was finally able to wrap all my presents.