Christmas and New Years in One Night

I've been visiting my bud Darla for a few days, finishing up my whirlwind tour of Illinois. Today she invited me to join her family's celebration of Christmas (late because there was an ice storm in Illinois last week) and then go out to dinner for New Years.

I felt very welcome and had a wonderful time with her lively Italian family.

Somehow Santa seemed to have found me, as there were lots of presents for me too under their tree. I'm now supplied with an abundance of chocolates! It was fun watching her obviously close family kid and joke with each other. After the exchange of gifts, we all piled into their father's Cadillac (a tight fit with 6 of us) and drove to downtown Chicago to an authentic Italian restaurant. Our dinner was fabulous, and the ambiance festive.

Above on the far right is Darla's dad, John, with his wife, Darla's mom, Phyllis. Next, from right to left, is Darla's sister-in-law, Lisa, with Darla next, then her brother, Darren, and then myself. Below is Darla and I in front of her family's tree.

It was a great day, and a good end to 2008.

Happy New Year Everyone!!