An extremely delayed post, I know, but I still wanted to share my Christmas in Minnesota with you all, because it made me really happy   I had initially intended this post to go up over a week ago, but the flu hit my family (bad) and then I was more or less without internets for the past week while in Chicago with Mr. K.

I’ve only not spent Christmas in the ‘Sota two times in my life.  Once was in high school when I was in Costa Rica with Girl & Boy Scouts, and the other was two years ago when I worked – yes worked – on Christmas without extra pay OR an extra earned vacation day.  Complete bull, I know.  But, moving on.

Christmas was extra special because it was someone’s FIRST Christmas:

My little niece (almost 11 months old now) is one of the most precious little girls I know.  And the highlight for her?  Never mind the gifts inside – all she wanted was the wrapping paper!

And to get out of the box my brother put her in…

My little niece was also baptized, since it was the first time the entire immediate family was in Minnesota together, and over a Sunday.

But she did not like the snow – or at least not the cold!

All in all it was a wonderful weekend.  It was great to spend quality time with my family – all 6 of them – for the first time all together since July.

Unfortunately the end of the weekend, also meant the end of health: my mom got hit with the flu Sunday night, and Monday night (just a mere 12 hours before I was to board the train to Chicago for a week with Mr. K & my best Chicago girls) it took me – to a whole new level:

It turned into about three days of the worst.stomach.flu that I can remember.  Lets just put it this way: I didn’t feel mostly normal or eat an entire meal until Thursday’s dinner.  And the strangest part for me?!  I wasn’t hungry the entire time.  I was so sick & nauseated by the thought and smell of food I had to force myself to eat something so I didn’t disintegrate into nothing.  I hate the flu.

But, somehow I made the train Tuesday morning.  I don’t really remember the train ride, but I did it – I was determined to get my full week in the Chi, and a wonderful week it was