Home for the Holidays! Part 2.

As stated in my previous blog, I love going back to Wisconsin and it's mostly because I get to spend some quality time with my family and I get a break from LA's craziness.  Here are a few more of my favorite things from my time home for my Christmas vacation!

At Antonio's in Plymouth with Neil!

When I'm at home I usually try to go out at least one night to catch up with friends from Plymouth and one of them is my friend, Brittany, whom I've known since Kindergarten.  So this trip was no different as Neil and I met up with her and her boyfriend, Josh, at Antonio's and had a wild night there!  It was complete with shots, Gin & Sprites, 'Catchphrase' while at the bar, and blowing fire!  We literally had a group of 10 people playing Catchphrase while we were out and it was a blast.  I even taught one of the Bartender's at Antonio's how to blow fire, and we even got a video of us blowing fire together and she learned it on her first try!  Go Gena!!  Before the night was over we wanted a change of pace and City Club (which used to be where my Dad would pick up Dinner on Friday's during Lent for the Fish Fry) was our next destination.  What a change from when I used to go with my Dad to get Dinner!  It was a lot of young people, playing bar games, taking shots, and the lay-out was totally different.  It was kind of nice to have somewhere else fun to go to!

Christmas also means a wonderful family meal and this year we had family over on Christmas Eve Day and had an awesome meal of turkey and ham, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potatoes, fresh rolls, corn, and some sort of pistachio and whipped cream salad that has always scared me but was delicious along with appetizers that included Cheese Fondue and Shrimp Cocktail and also had an awesome dessert of Chocolate Lava Cake, made by my Mom, which was INCREDIBLE!  I can't wait to try the recipe here in LA using my Crock Pot.  And of course, no Christmas would be complete without Old Fashions and Cocktail Hour!  It's been a tradition in my family to take Christmas Pictures for the Christmas Card that goes out the following year and the paparazzi was in full effect!  We had Grayson and Greta, the little ones playing and doing my tradition of taking pictures with the Maker's Mark and Malibu bottles, and then everyone's family photo time.

Wegner Family Christmas Photo

Lastly, aside from opening presents and being excited about what I got my family, this year I had picked out a ring for my Mom from a Boutique on LA called Brandy Melville and another ring similar to hers so my Mom and I would have matching rings which I thought was a fun idea.  I had also gotten my brother a super cool Nirvana T-Shirt that was worn-in from H&M and although my Dad was more difficult this year, he was very happy to use his Barnes & Noble Gift Card to pick out a great book.  Of course, there was plenty more but I really enjoy seeing my family's faces when they see the gift I got them that took some planning or that I figured out would be something they would really get use out of.  After Christmas my Mom and I usually grab Lunch at Victoria's, which is an Italian Restaurant in Green Bay, hit up the mall to return or exchange things that don't fit, and our new thing is going to the Casino.  Unfortunately, I lost but had a couple really good rounds on some games but didn't come out ahead and Mom broke even so I'm sure she was happy about that!

Those are a few of my favorite things when I go back to Wisconsin for the Holiday's and the time always goes way too fast, even though this time I was home for a week.  We always have so much planned that it seems like I'm only home for a couple of days but that just gets me excited for my next trip home :)  Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Everyone!