The Last 2 Years: December 2012

I'm not going to lie, Christmas without Aaron is pretty terrible.  I believe I said the phrase "I hate Christmas/this time of year" more than a dozen times this month.  I kept having flashbacks of when Aaron deployed in 2010.  He got a semi short notice assignment and only had 6 weeks to get ready.  Ainsley was 2 weeks old when we got the call and Aaron was headed out the door for his second 2 week AMP course.  It was a blur and on Dec 8 Aaron flew out of Rapid City Regional to head to Afghanistan.  Ainsley was 10 weeks old, our 11th anniversary was a week away and Christmas was a week after that.

Fast forward to 2012 and we are again facing Christmas with Aaron gone.  The bright side was that we were on the downward hill of the deployment.  We decided as a family (and with a stern pep-talk to me from Aaron about the kids and Christmas) that we were going to be happy and excited as the holiday approached.  We filled our tim looking for ways to give service, had a "25 days of Christmas" elf that dropped off treats every night for the month, enjoyed parties at school and church, and spent our time getting Christmas to send to Aaron so he could have a taste of home.  

A girl in our squadron gave us the idea to send a mini Christmas tree to Aaron.  I don't care what the Who's say, Christmas isn't Christmas with out a tree.  I then emailed our family and friends and asked each one of them to send Aaron an ornament to decorate his tree; something from where they lived or something that would be unique to the sender. 

*It turned out AWESOME!

*The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is one of my favorite places here in Rapid City.  Maybe it's true of all city Civic Centers but I feel ours goes out of their way to provide great events for all tastes and ages.  Segway to the beginning of December when I took the kids (minus Ainsley) the see the Broadway rendition of Beauty and the Beast.  Never hurts to have front row seats!

funny that our neighbor Chris Haugo is sitting right behind us!

*You can never have too many Christmas parties right? We had a ward Christmas party, med group party, Tiger party (mom's only so no pictures) and then school parties in each classroom.  

Canyon Lake Ward Christmas party

Med Group Christmas party

*Alex had his first cello concert at school as he is now part of the Orchestra at school.  I'm so glad that he has chosen this instrument and hope he continues to love it!

*Anniversary flowers!  Between my hospital stay, birthday and anniversary, Flowers By LeRoy got a lot of our business in a 5 week span!

When my parents heard that Aaron would be gone for another Christmas, they planned almost immediately  to make the trip out to the RCSD to celebrate with us.  At first I was worried about the company at a time that I wasn't really all that pumped about but the closer it got to them coming, the more excited I/we got.  As Christmas got closer and closer, Scott, Andrea, and Christine all planned to join us; Nelson family Christmas in Rapid City.  It was so much fun and keep us not only busy but it was a better Christmas that I thought I would ever have (minus Aaron of course).  

*Lights at Storybook Island:

Sister Andrea and husband Jed

Mom and Dad Nelson

*Christmas fun! (puzzles, baking, video games and GUTS):

*Christmas morning and hours of present opening:

I didn't get a lot of pictures but Ainsley LOVED her Squkies Castle

Mom and Dad opening the flag that Aaron flew for them

Whitley giving Nathan the DVD that his mom had given him 3 weeks earlier, that she found and re-wrapped 

*Mt Rushmore of course (freezing!!):

My brother Scott's family

Right before everyone left home we went to dinner, all adults, to Alpine Inn.  Alpine Inn is the best thing that ever happened to steak for dinner.  Their dinner menu?  Filet Mignon. Large or small, baked potato, wedge salad and bread.  That's it!!  The whole dinner menu.  Perfectly cooked steak overtime.  I mean, if that's all your making you should know how to do it correctly right?  And that's not their signature dish.  It's their homemade desserts!  I usually go for the Caramel Apple Napoleon but have lately had a love affair over the Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie.  

*Dinner at Alpine Inn in Hill City, SD: (probably my most favorite of all events)

New Years was pretty low key as far as partying goes.  We called a few people to see if they wanted to just hang but in the end made home made rootbeer and toasted the year that dad was coming home!