Christmas 2011

Finally- I've finished unpacking my suitcase from my surprise trip home.  Yes, you read that correct.  I made it home for Christmas. 

I talked it over with Huff & Puff about two and a half weeks before Christmas.  He gave me the green light to go. Originally I was going to drive 18 hours spend Christmas Eve with my family and drive back Christmas day.    I wanted to surprise my family and friends.  I ended up telling my dad because I wanted someone to know I was going to be traveling in my poor little beat up Sentra from  New York to Tennessee.  When I told him I was coming home for Christmas he was so excited, but insisted that I fly.  He said it would allow me to have more time with everyone and that I nor my poor little o' Sentra wouldn't be as worn out and tired when we got back.  He then proceeded to make fun of my car by wheezing and coughing in exhaustion.  I wasn't amused.  He offered to pay for my plane ticket and naturally I gladly accepted! 

Once the ticket was bought my scheming began to surprise my family and  friends!  It was the hardest secret I've ever had to keep.   Endless phone calls to my family and friends of how sad I was because I wouldn't be home for Christmas. Talks of how depressed I was that I had to work on Christmas Eve. I even sent a picture of made up scheduled appointments on a calendar for that day to my family and friends with the caption of "Everytime I flip to this date and see these appointments, it makes me sad."  Lies, lies, they were all lies!   I listened to my family and friends complain to me how it just wasn't going to be Christmas without me.  I would then have to cover the phone as I let out a giggle and an "Eeeeeeeek!" to myself.

After a long two and a half weeks December 22nd finally came around!  Time to get Operation:Tennessee Christmas Surprise in action!   I flew out that evening.  It was the longest 2 hours of my life!  I had one of my best friends, Ashley and her husband come and pick me up from the airport.  I couldn't wait to see her face and squeeze her to pieces.  She was in on the surprise. I needed someone to pick me up from the airport and shuffle me around the next day for last minute errands.  Besides, that's what best friends are for right?  We all had dinner together, exchanged gifts, laughed and wrapped presents until the early morning hours.  The next day she shuffled me around to deliever presents to a few friends and shop for a couple last minute gifts.   It took all day so we had a late lunch and she swears I nearly starved her. You would think I did by the way she jumped a curb with her car on the way to Panera.  After we scarfed down lunch we went back to her house just in time to have my friend Julia come and pick me up and on to the next surprise!



My other best friend Jamie had know idea I was coming home.  She and Julia had plans to have dinner together a local resturant in town.  Last year we all had dinner together at the same place. I had been scheming with Julia about surprising Jamie and  I had been telling Jamie how bummed I was that I wasn't going to be there.  They had plans to Skype me while they were at the resturant.   When Julia and I got to the resturant, Jamie was already inside waiting. Julia went on in and I waited outside for her to Skype me on our phones.  I had my finger over the camera so they couldn't see where I was.   They were complaining about how they couldn't see me and I finally walked in the resturant to where they were sitting and said loudly, "Can you see me now?"  Jamie's jaw dropped to the floor.  She then proceeded to call me names and slap me silly, which only meant ... 'Omg! I'm so happy to see you!'  After my beating from her, we hugged it out and both cried.  We all talked and laughed hysterically the rest of the evening.  We the the best time ever.

Jamie & Julia

Julia & I



Later that night we all three headed out to my mom's house for the next surprise - my family.  I knew all my brothers and sisters would be there that evening.    I pulled the same Skype stunt on them as I did to Jamie.  I could tell you about it but I think this video speaks for itself...

Needless to say it was priceless.  We stayed up til the wee hours of the morning having the best time.  We got up the next morning on Christmas Eve and exchanged gifts.  We all got ready and headed to Manchester, TN for the next surprise.  My grandmother was livid everyone was so late. I walked in the house after everyone else to surprise her.  When she saw me she was overwhelmed with emotion and didn't care we were late anymore. Our Christmas Traditions at her house were carried on that day.  Food, laughter, and endless ridiculous games.

We had another surprise up our sleeve for my grandmother. As mentioned in a previous blog, every year my cousins and sisters are begged to death by our moms and grandmother to put together an on the fly skit and perform it for the the fam.  This year we did something a little different.   This past fall I lost an aunt.  My mom lost a sister, and my grandmother lost a child.  It was been a tough year for my grandmother and really my whole family.  Don't worry I'll spare you the details.   So for weeks on end my cousins, my sister and I stayed up late nearly every night for weeks working on a song we wrote together for my grandmother and video editing it.   All the people mentioned in the song are real and the events are true with the exception of the last verse about Culleoka News.  That was about the skit we performed a couple years ago.   Here is the final version of the video.    Be sure to watch The Bloopers Reel at the end they are the best part. I'm already embarrassed for myself and yes I misspelled 'chess pie'.



After my grandmother's there was the mad dash for Tara and I to my dad's house.   When we got there my dad popped in 'Christmas Vacation' and I fell asleep on my dad's shoulder.  I was out like a light!   On Christmas Day morning he cooked a fabulous breakfast and then we exchanged gifts.  Little did he know he was going to be surprised this Christmas too.  Tara and I got my him an ipad2. I knew it was a success when he started laughing uncontrollably almost a little pyscho like followed by a few tears. Yes! 

I savored the last couple of hours I had in Tennessee but the time came for me to head to the airport.  My dad took me and we swung by my mom's to tell her bye one more time.  I even snapped a picture of the "original" Totty crew all together. I love this picture.

When my dad and I reached the airport the tears started flowing.  I couldn't stop it.  I cried the whole way through the airport.  I struggled to speak to the people working in the airport.  I couldn't find what I did with my drivers license from the boarding pass station to the security check point because I was so distraught.  I could not pull it together.  During all the airport chaos, I was so thankful for big sunglasses.  My time in Tennessee seemed like just a vapor.   It was gone in an instant and I was back in New York. When I got home there was a package waiting on me.  A package from my mom.  She had sent my Christmas presents to New York not knowing I was going to be home, but she also sent me something else. 

You see, apparently a mass facebook message went out to many of my friends and family from all over the U.S. about this blog post I wrote One Light Goes Out, They All Go Out! I was completely unaware of this.  One day I came home only to find my friend Julia had sent me this ornament in the mail. At this point, I had no idea I would be home for Christmas. I loved it and of course it made me cry.

Little did I know this was going to be just the beginning of something so wonderful!   The next day I received another and another, and then another.  Finally, I started started asking questions and found about the facebook message and it was none other than my sneaky sweet little angel friend Julia. 

The ornaments continued for weeks and 'mail time' became my favorite time of the day.  I would sing the Blues Clues 'mail time' song everyday and yes- I would wag my tail too.  I think my 'mail time' was a lot of other peoples favorite time of the day too. I would receive text messages everyday from different friends, "Has the mail ran yet?"  "Who's did you get today?" all anxiously checking Facebook in the afternoons to see what I received, but it didn't stop there.  I received ornaments from people who never even got a FB message but just heard about this 'Operation:Tosha's Tree'.  Even Mrs. Linda Aunt Jemima got me one!  Not only did I receive ornaments, I received little notes, Christmas cards, gifts, care packages, and I even received the book 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' story that had a recording  of familiar voices of people I used to work with and that are dear to my heart reading each page.  Every ornament that came represented the person that sent it or something that reminded them of me.  It was so great.

When I opened my mom's package on Christmas Day night I found a little note that read, "This was the most affordable way I could get us and some of your friends to you this Christmas season.  We all love and miss you tons."  There were ornaments for days with different family members and friends pictures in every ornament.

After having a hellacious time in the airport and missing everyone at home, it was the perfect thing to come home to and find these little gems awaiting me. They were the perfect addition to the rest of the ornaments on my tree. She also sent me this ornament in it's own wrapping with another little note that read, "Winna Winna Chicken Dinna!" Very funny mom.

Receiving little pieces of home in the mail everyday through this holiday season was by far one of the sweetest and most thoughtful gestures someone has ever done for me.   To all of you who contributed, thank you, thank you, thank you for making my 2011 Christmas one I will never forget.

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

We've upgraded from the 1960's t.v.  Thanks 'Santa Puff'.