CHRISTMAS HAS HAPPENED! What a wonderful night! We had such a great time being with each other and doing absolutely NOTHING relative to Theater! Sometimes I feel like theater has over taken my life, and I forget how much fun doing other things are! The house was buzzing today because everybody was so cheerful and excited for Christmas.
We weren't allowed to go into the theater yet, so we set our presents by the outside tree and waited!
Me and the Pingles, waiting for Christmas to start!
Christmas was supposed to start at 6 this evening (last year we started at 3....), but because Addison found out he has an audition early tomorrow morning in Utah, the Merrill's moved it to 5. We all showed up before five and sat around the lobby of the theater singing Christmas songs. But....guess who was late? That's right, the Merrill's!! We weren't allowed to go into the theater until 5:40!! That anticipation was killing me! But we didn't die. After blessing the food, we rushed through the curtain: There was a beautiful Christmas tree on the stage, surrounded by dozens of presents for the cast members. Behind that was a huge buffet table resembling the most amazing Christmas feast you've ever had: turkey, potatoes, stuffing, rolls, desert, AND.....Heidi even let us get soda with the PAPER CUPS! Oh boy!!
We all had stockings hanging above our food! It was so excited! Hello Kitty coloring books, candy, lip gloss, oranges, and much more!
After feasting on EVERYTHING in sight, we went out to the lobby to make fun of each other with our surprise gifts for each other. Jordan had drawn my name, and he gave me a dancing bear with a recording inside that said "a-dee-dee-dee" (inside story, too long to explain) followed by the song "What I Like About You". It was perfect, and couldn't explain summer experience any better (again, referring to "a-dee-dee-dee"). Cam got a personalized 8-ball with the answer "ask kelly" for every question he asked it. Heidi was so proud, she was laughing so hard the whole time.
My gift from Jordan=perfect!!
After we made fun of each other, it was time for the Merrill's to give us their presents. It started with Josh getting everybody something personal: he gave me a beautiful silver chain necklace, and the movie "Ever After." I absolutely love chick-flicks, and I love that movie, so it was perfect. Josh gave Cam a really nice watch and a money clip. They look really great, but I'm not sure what brand it was, I'll have to look again.
The Merrill's love Christmas, and I'm slowly learning why. Watching everybody open their gifts was one of the most rewarding things I've experienced in a long time. Julia was by far my favorite person to watch. I've never seen ANYBODY as excited as she was. Jenny, Jillian, Maddie, and myself all opened ours at the same time: we all got awesome designer purses with wallets inside. Roger and Heidi picked out a cute cute fossil purse with a fossil wallet inside to match. Inside the purse was some treats and lotion, and inside the wallet was a gift card to Target, a gift card to Victoria's Secret, and $50.00 cash. I couldn't ask for more. The purse is smaller than I've had and I'm not used to it, but it's good because the bigger the purse I have, the more crap finds its way into it. :) Cam made fun of me, but I reminded him that half the time it's his stuff too.
Julia opening her Kitchen-Aid presents. It was the funniest thing ever!
All of us posing with our awesome purses! Merry Christmas!
Today got me really excited for REAL Christmas to come around. I was reminded today how much I love giving to other people, and watching other smile and laugh. I feel as if I've been rejuvenated to make it through the rest of the season. In one week I move back to Utah for a few days, and the week after that, the Playmill ends. Time flies.
