2008 turns into 2009

Let's back up to Christmas…

I spent Christmas morning with my mom and Molly, same thing I've done my whole life…opening stockings, opening each other's presents, opening presents from Santa. Breakfast of cinnamon buns, and then it's off to Gram's. Gram's house was packed with people this year. All of my aunts and uncles were there, and many of my cousins. Lots of goofiness, laughing, eating too much, and enjoying each other.

Some of us missed the silly face message. From left, sister Sierra, me, sister Molly, cousins Rick and Josh, and brother Scyler in the front

I saw bffs Sara and Renee, which was more goofiness, catching up, and feeling like no time had passed since we saw each other last.

Since all the goofy pics ended up on Renee's camera, here are me and Renee's adorable niece, Graycie

I spent New Years in Pittsburgh this year. I stayed with my bff Julie, home for the holidays from Alaska. We ate at Eat n Park, a Pittsburgh staple. We toasted in the New Year with my other PSU meteo bud, Donati, at his apartment party.

Julie and I brought in the New Year by joining the Pittsburgh Polar Bear Club. She suggested it; I was crazy enough to say yes. Why the heck not!? Everyone else thought we were crazy. There were hundreds of other crazy people jumping into the Monongahela River (the Mon to locals) too, 9:30AM on New Year's Day. Yes, the water was cold. A nice shock to the system. But I warmed up quicker than I expected afterwards.

Me: Guess what I just did?
Ma: What?
Me: I just jumped into a river!
Ma: EW. What is wrong with you?

Molly: Why would you even think that jumping into a freezing cold river was a good idea?

The jump into the 38F water

The only other time I've worn a bikini in January was in Miami. 18F air temp here. I think my face pretty much sums up the feeling: exhilarating, with a touch of 'what the heck did I just do?'

We went on to watch Penn State lose in the Rose Bowl :( And after Julie went off to visit her sister in Florida, I scammed wi-fi waiting for Donati to get out of work for dinner, and was on my way back on a Greyhound bus to NJ.