Merry Clinchmas!

How do people with full-time jobs, clean homes, dinner in the oven, attention-seeking pets, and a couple children running around have time to blog? Seriously, I want the answer. Because I'm having a hard time balancing my 30-hour work week, unpacking my new apartment, ordering Chinese takeout, and watching Ellen.

Last weekend was an early Christmas of sorts for the Johnson family. Jamie and Denny were in town from Tucson, LP was finally settled back into Ohio life, and all of us were together for two short days. On Saturday, an attempt to surprise LP with a birthday/welcome home-hybrid party completely failed. Somehow, he figured out the plans early...and by somehow, I mean my mom told him.

Gold Star Chili, which has always been our Cincinnati chili of choice, hosted an incredible homecoming party for LP. They made an amazing banner that read Welcome Home, CPL Lewis Johnson, closed off a section of the Lebanon location, and fed 15 of us...for FREE! There really was no better way to welcome him home than some coneys at our favorite hometown restaurant. The servers and manager all took time to thank him for his service and it truly meant the world to us. We couldn't be more proud of him (or thankful to Gold Star!).

After dinner, the party moved to our house, where we celebrated with some NFL action and a massive rice krispie treat that posed as a birthday cake.

Despite my begging and pleading, no one but my mom agreed to accompany me to the Christmas Ranch in nearby Morrow. I ended up dragging Wheat there against his will because Christmas spirit reigns. We bundled up, waited in the long line of traffic, paid the $15 per carload fee, and wandered around the gorgeous light displays that were synched with yuletide songs. This place is intense - I have never seen so many lights in my life. It's no wonder it has been mentioned by HGTV, The New York Times, and Good Morning America.

We admired the Christmas trees and light arches, perused several shops, fawned over the live lambs at the nativity scene, and warmed ourselves by the massive bonfire. Most importantly, we drank peppermint hot cocoa and ate funnel cake amidst the twirling Santa Clauses in the dining area.

Sunday flew by, a whirlwind of early gift exchanging, more NFL games, Christmas shopping, and burritos. And just like that, Jamie was on her way back to Arizona. Bah humbug. In an effort to cheer me up, the Bengals broke their primetime curse and clinched a spot in the playoffs by defeating Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. It kinda worked. Merry Clinchmas, ya filthy animals.