Flashback - Closing Out 2019

As we wait out the coronavirus epidemic and practice the social distancing that will keep estate sales away for who knows how long, we continue to catch up on the posts we missed when we took a six month hiatus from blogging. This post will recap the end of 2019.

With Christmas falling on a Wednesday (and therefore New Year's Day, as well), there was only one weekend left in 2019 and there are rarely good sales that last weekend. Spoiler alert...this year was no different. 

We always start Christmas Eve at Monica's sister's house where we have dinner and then the kids get to open some early Christmas gifts. They are of that age where money is what they want so they can pick out their own gifts.

We then go to Monica's dad's house for our annual Christmas Eve visit from Santa. Monica's dad prefers to wait at his house rather than come out for dinner so we bring dinner to him. Monica's dad had two Christmas trees. 

Santa has been coming to Monica's dad's house since she was a little kid and that tradition continues on. 

 Monica's brother and niece

The traditional family Christmas picture with Santa

When Santa leaves, he does so with his sirens blaring! 

Christmas had arrived and Sweety was in the Christmas spirit! 

Visions of sugarplums danced in Kitty's head! 

Christmas day was spent at Monica's sister's house where Lenny and Monica's sister shared the cooking duties and Monica's dad watched over them. 

Dinner was a feast and spending it with family is always the best part of the day! 

We made to pick up some of the newer Christmas decorations during the season like these solar bobbers. 

Some of the year's Pez dispensers

We also got this Abominable Snowman Pop Up! 

Although we didn't have any sales the weekend between Christmas and New Year's Day, we did make a trip to the Wantagh 5 & 10. We read that it was closing after more than sixty years in business. It said it would close in the next few days but didn't list a specific date. Unfortunately, we were too late. It was closed which was sad. There aren't many of these stores left. 

 New Year's Eve is always at Monica's sister's house and we were ready to welcome 2020! 

We were well stocked with noisemakers and party hats!

Our good luck lemon pigs were ready! 

The kids had fun with the New Year's poppers!

Some kids were more excited than others! 

Sweety celebrated New Year's Eve!

Kitty celebrated New Year's Eve! 

And, of course, we celebrated New Year's Eve together and looked forward to a brand new year filler with love and adventures together!