Day Six Hundred and Eighty-Four

The Balcony Oasis

Sometimes, Saturdays are a bit hectic at the pool.

And this little oasis ain't a bad second option. 

I love sitting on my balcony while listening to the sounds of busy people below. I wonder what life is like for them. I wonder over their struggles. I wonder over their successes. I wonder where they're going and what they're doing. I wonder if they're mad. Sad? Happy? Hopeful? But most often, I wonder about their heart. And then, I can't help but to pray to Jesus that one day, they'd find Him, accept Him, and love Him.

(And yes, that is a giraffe towel. Just is case you were wondering.)

And for my random randomness of the day:

Call me crazy, but this is SO COOL!

If you're a Harry Potter fan (like me), dial this number.

You'll be smiling the rest of the day (it's Hogwarts)!!!

 

Day Six Hundred and Eighteen

The Sky from West Coast to East Coast

(And Adam's Ninth AA Start)

I left Spokane, Washington yesterday morning after a 10-day visit with my family. This is the city I grew up in, and until I actually have a (semi-permanent) home, Spokane maintains that title.

I saw all sorts of fun skies and horizons yesterday...

Flying into Twin Cities, Minnesota. 

Flying into Jacksonville, Florida.

Uhm...the airport in Minnesota is absolutely ridiculous. I'm not even close to kidding when I say that every seat in "D Terminal" had an iPad in front of it...

In the restaurants...

Even "general" seating...where you sit and wait for your plane. 

Like, really??! So crazy. I'd never seen anything like it before. And with all these computers, you'd think they'd offer free wi-fi too? No sir! Everything about that place was shocking.

I landed in Jax at 6:15 last night...just in time to hop in the truck, drive to the store, get home, make a snack, and turn on Adam's ninth start in Pearl, Mississippi against the Mississippi Braves. And boy, did my man throw well! Minus two bad pitches (in which he gave up a triple and a homer), Adam was locked in. The Braves were aggressive - swinging the bat way more than most other teams - so Adam mixed his pitches in the strikezone, and walked away with 12 of the 18 outs recorded as groundouts. Adam told me that "less damage is done when the ball is hit on the ground." (So Grama, that means he did good. Hahaha) His line for the night:

6IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 1HR, 1BB, 1K and the W!

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Four

The Pool Rules

It's probably been over a month since Adam and I have "laid out." Maybe even two. And when you're in South Florida, that's unacceptable. UNLESS you live here permanently, in which case, your blood has thinned and 70 degrees feels like 50. Lucky for us, yesterday was a scorcher: 85 degrees. I begged Adam to lay by the pool with me, but he refused and instead, swam a bunch of laps in the chilly water. As for me, I tanned. It didn't work. I'm still pasty white. But it felt good and I read a bunch and that's all that matters. 

With all the craziness of last year aside, I'm now settling into a routine. Reading is something I try to do daily, along with writing. On Writing Well is a book suggested to me by Josh Martin. And it's exactly about that - how to write well. For a girl who wants to write a book, this is exactly what I need.

Adam and I never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. But that doesn't mean that throughout the day, plates and bowls and pots and pans haven't accumulated. We eat a lot here. Actually, let me rephrase that: Adam eats a lot here. And that means: a lot of dirty dishes. To make our lives easier, I've insisted upon a new rule: Pick one side. I took it from Grama, who's biggest pet peeve is dirty dishes in both sides of the sink. She's a genius. And I don't know why I never thought of it before. If one side of the sink is completely clean, it's 100 times easier and faster to complete the dreaded chore. Thanks Grama! Oh, and she has the best taste in dish soap too...hence our pink Palmolive. It smells so good. And it's soft on your hands too. Oh yeah baby. That's when you know you're a housewife :)

Day Three Hundred and Sixty-Three

The Reading Beauty Reads While the Sleeping Beauty Sleeps

Yes, our back "porch" looks really dirty. It's because of the rain, I swear. Plus, we don't have a hose and it's very unlikely that I'd ever scrub it with Scrubbing Bubbles anyways, so I'm stuck with the dirt. Thankfully, I was raised at the ballpark and learned the saying, "God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt," at a very young age. And that's precisely the reason I felt comfortable enough to lie my beach blanket down on the floor of our 5 x 7 foot "porch" to work on my tan. For me, walking the 20 feet to the slider door is much easier than the walk to the pool or the drive to the ocean. And I don't like leaving Adam alone anyways when he's home, so this is what I've been doing to catch my rays. I wake up a little earlier than my sleeping boy, read a book, and enjoy the Florida heat...which has been a rough task as of late because of all the storms. 

I finished the book "Little Bee" this morning. Let me tell you...I am so thankful for this read. If you have the chance, or maybe some spare time, read it. It might just change the way you look at the world. At least it did for me.

If I lived on ballpark food the entirety of the season, it would be a problem. I take my health and diet very seriously, and with that as my priority, I find ways to make my nights at the field work. I've eaten one hot dog this entire season. And I don't even really like them. I do like the ice cream, but tend to shy away because I know I'll regret eating it later. It takes a lot of work and diligence, but in the end, my body feels better running on real food and not feel good food. Hence, the orange. Nearly every game this season, whether in Greensboro or in Jupiter, I've smuggled healthy food into the stadium under the items in my purse. And that's how I eat during the games. It might not be "legal," but at least my pants still fit. 

And I'm loving my new hat! I was having a bad hair day...so I looked through Adam's hats and found this one. I think it looks better on me anyways. A real Jupiter beauty.  

The boys won their first of 5 tonight against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. They're playing for the championship AND that ring I keep talking about! LET'S GO HAMMERHEADS! Only 2 more wins!!!

Since Breaking Bad Season 5 is over, Adam and I are suffering. We needed a new show to suppress our appetite for blue meth (Hahahha). Our replacement: Sons of Anarchy. This is Adam's best impression of the main Character, Jax...which is also the future nickname of our son. How coincidental. Adam is much, much hotter than Jax though, but I do see the resemblance. Here, Adam is rocking his new Oakley Deviation sunglasses and a fresh Under Armor flannel collared shirt! SO HANDSOME!

Day Three Hundred and Forty-Seven

The Doubleheader That Wasn't

If you turn on the TV to any weather or news channel in the nation, you'll see that the state Adam and I call home is about to get hit...by a hurricane named Isaac. Tomorrow, it's supposed to change from "tropical storm" to "hurricane," as it slams into Cuba and some other Caribbean countries. By Monday, it's rumored to put a halt on the Hammerhead season. And as I drove out to Port St. Lucie, Spring Training home to the NY Mets, the clouds seemed to be telling me a similar story. A storm was surely on the horizon.

The Hammerheads were rained out of yesterday's game. So today, they were re-scheduled for a doubleheader with Adam taking the mound in the second game. This is what the scene looked like immediately following the conclusion of the first game. Mostly clear skies (at least for Florida) and a little bit of the setting sun's colors. But wait, why the tarp then?! The announcer spoke over the stadium, "Game 2 is being delayed." Ok, delayed for what? There's no rain! Let's play, I want to see Adam play! I thought. Then Rosie, Adam's pitching coordinator came up to me and said, "Mrs. Conley, may I offer you some advice? Go sit in your truck. We're about to get dumped on." Then he showed me the weather radar on his iPhone...a huge blob of bad weather was rapidly approaching. Darnit. Darnit! I got up, grabbed my umbrella (that I took into the stadium just in case) and made my way to the upper deck, under the cover of the stadium roof. I didn't want to go to my truck yet...I just wanted to wait and watch the storm unfold.

So did Adam. He didn't leave the field until the rain came. I think he was hopeful, like me, that the storm would somehow magically pass us by. And so, he sat. (He's the guy sitting.)

Another reason I didn't go to the truck was because of R.A. Dickey. I've been reading his book and it just seemed fitting to open it and continue flipping pages in the same Spring Training facility that he calls home! It's quite the wonderful read...I'm mesmerized by his writing style and convictions. I finished Wherever I Wind Up sitting in the Nose Bleeds. And I'd recommend it to anyone. Absolutely outstanding.

But I certainly wouldn't recommend waiting for a Florida rain storm to come before you decide that sprinting to your truck is the only way to remain even close to semi-dry. Bad choice. My umbrella helped a little, but not much. Ugh. Wet and cold, I waited for Adam to finish his duties at the field before we drove back home together. He's scheduled to pitch the first game of another second doubleheader tomorrow at 4. I hope that we get at least one game in!

We needed gas. And many times in Florida, when you pull into a gas station, you see something ridiculous like this. Gimmine Christmas!

So, when Adam left the rain-dreched field of Port St. Lucie, he was ready for some dinner. Great! I hadn't eaten either. But not one minute from departing the field, Adam realized that he never played catch! He has to play catch every day. If he doesn't, it hurts his arm. "I'll play catch with you when we get home," I said. With maybe just a hint of reluctance, he agreed. I'm no professional ball player, this I know, and I can't catch the hard throws that he needs to make. But, I can play catch. And none of the other guys were available. So, we found a place behind Roger Dean Stadium's outfield wall, right under the scoreboard and Hitter's Eye, and tossed the ball around. 

Since I can't, and won't, catch Adam's really hard throws, we had to get a little crafty before ending our night. We scoured the complex and found a fence outside of the Marlin's clubhouse, where Adam threw maybe 10 fastballs at. Once they hit the fence, I picked the ball up and threw it back to him. It was the best we could do. The best I could do. But we had fun. And Adam got his work in.  

Daddy Update:

Johnie is feeling and speaking much better as each day passes. I got a chance to talk with him, and wow, the difference between two days ago and today has made a HUGE difference. I can already tell that he's well on his way to recovery. He is, however, continuing to have some problems with the right side movement of his body. And his balance still isn't the best. So, the doctors, Daddy, and Ellie all decided that a 5-day stay on the rehab floor of the hospital was the best thing he could do for himself...even though he really wants to go home. But he knows better. He knows how much benefit it will be to him to have all of his doctors, nurses, and therapists there as his needs arise...ultimately speeding up his complete recovery. He's going to stick it out. Just like I'd expect him to. My dad's a fighter. A strong man with a strong will. And I know that when the 5 days are up, he'll have put in every ounce of work that he possibly could have mustered. Because that's the type of man he is. Pray for his strength, perseverance, and courage as he battles back.

I think the decision to move to Spokane is close to being made. Continued prayers for guidance and clear direction are needed right now. Ellie is staying in Seattle until Sunday. She's taking care of all the details of the move, acting as caregiver when my brother is at work, and hammering out the financial situation that comes with hospital stays. Pray for patience, humility, and discernment as she makes important calls and decisions. Finally, my grandma. Her and my dad are best friends. They're an inseparable duo and currently, both in need of some extra care. One of my dad's main concerns with the move to Spokane is whether or not Grandma would want to come. Well, guess what?! She wants to come!!! And that is such good news! She seems to be excited, and a bit apprehensive, about the move (I mean c'mon, who wouldn't be!)...but she's welcoming the challenge and ready for a new start. THIS IS AWESOME! I'm so in awe of the Lord right now. He's making His presence so undeniably obvious to all of us. And I can't get over His faithfulness! Wow! Go Dad! Go Grandma! Go Ellie! Go Jake! Go Mom too! And Morgan, Shelby, and Dan! It's going to take a team effort, but that's what we're all here for. I love you all. I'm so incredibly blessed and thankful for each one of you.

Day Three Hundred and Twenty

The Atlantic Buddies

In this house, we wake up in good moods. And today was certainly no exception. Hunter and Adam have become quite the pair, and their early morning antics were nothing short of adorable. Hunter has been saying lately, “Just like Uncle,” and so, he now has a similar hat to match. But Adam didn’t have a binky, so HunterMan gave him one, and then? Twins! But not the Minnesota kind ;)

Hunter loves his toothbrush, and it’s not unusual to see him at random points during the day with it sticking out of his mouth. What was unusual for him though, was seeing Uncle brushing his teeth. I don’t think he’s ever witnessed such a thing. Electirc, vibrating toothbrushes? That’s what we use around here! At first, Big Boy was cautious about the questionable Sonicares, but after two days, he’s liking the idea of them and always offers a helping hand.  Today, he made sure that Adam had the cleanest pearly whites possible before leaving for work.

South Florida means one thing for sure: beautiful beaches! And you bet, Ellie and Hunter got a little taste of Juno Beach this afternoon!! Neither Hunter nor my sweet sister have ever swam in the ocean before – not the Pacific, not the Atlantic – but they can each check that off their Bucket List because they’re seasoned veterans now! The three of us spent a lovely day in the sunshine, soaking in the rays (well kind of), playing in the sand, and splashing in the waves. 

My family is so beautiful. And I miss seeing these faces every day. Having the two of them here brings an overwhelming amount of peace and comfort to our lives, and the smiles…they’re so big. Ellie is dear to me. She’s helped me through an incredible amount of life, and her advice is always something I hold close to my heart. We’ve spent a lot of time together over the past four days, talking, laughing, crying, and it makes me crazy to think that she’ll be gone in just a few days. Until then, I’ll savor every moment with my gorgeous, sweet best friend. 

Maybe this is a bad omen? Who knows. What I do know, though, is that this little crow sat on my chair, squaked a few squaks, pooped on the seat, and then flew away. Good thing we were all in the ocean at the time!

Big Boy has never seen or played in sand before. At first, he was a bit skeptical, but once it was time to leave, we could barely pry him away. He loves the ocean, and he loves me. So that must mean that he’s going to have to move here (to the ocean) and live here (with me). I think so. 

It was 5:30 by the time we got home and Jose was scheduled to pitch at 6:30. Hunter kept talking about the baseball game, and so, we decided to skip naptime and make a run for it. Turns out, it wasn’t a bad decision after all. He had tons of fun once again, and even met Hamilton the Hammerhead! I think he liked Robbie better though.

Just like last night, he was Mr. Social tonight. Walking up and down the aisles, flirting with the girls and chatting with the guys, Hunter made his way from home plate all the way over to the first base line by himself. I snuck up behind him and listened in on his conversation with the people next to him. He was saying, “Homerun, homerun!” And the hitter must have heard Hunter’s request because just then, he smacked one out of the park. And that’s when the cheering began. Hammerheads win!

When Uncle finally got home, Hunter was excited to see him. They sat on the couch together and wound down with a couple of books. Hunter first read to Adam (note the upsidedown book). And then Adam read to Hunter. Pals. And cute ones too.

And as a complete side note, I have a prayer request. One of my dearest friend's daughter is having emergency brain surgery tomorrow morning. The little girl is just three years old and needs her family to pull together around her and support her through this very difficult time. The sweet baby's name is Adelyn, her mommy is Susan, and her daddy is Kyle. Keep them in your prayers.

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Nine

The Tired Girl

Hey everyone! It's Adam again, I've been trying to help my wife out with the blog as of late. She has been so busy, and on Sundays we play day games, so I'm just hanging out with Charlie, watching the Nationals and Phillies game, and writing this blog while she sleeps. 

Last week Kendall flew to Washington to see her family, while I went on a seven day road trip. She had an amazing time, but switching time zones, entertaining so many people, long nights, and too much to do, left her exhausted. Not to mention she was stressing over my start in West Virginia, and I know from experience how hard it is for her to listen to me work, and not be there to support me. The feeling of helplessness is a bad one; she'll come to as many games as she can. She also does her best to speak my love language: acts of service. She is always telling me to eat and cooking my breakfasts, I love her, and am so thankful to have her.

We tried a new church today, but decided we'll continue our search for a church in North Carolina we love. Todays message didn't challenge us, and we didn't hear a lot about the good news of the Gospel. After church I went to work and after a very successful bullpen, attended baseball chapel, lead by Jason and Carroll. It was an awesome message, and it stuck with me. God has been revealing himself to me at work in some really cool ways, and I have been really encouraged by the past few weeks. For I am His, and He is mine, and I feel so blessed. 

The Grasshoppers won again tonight making our record 21-8. We have two more games against the West Virginia Power,before going on a four day road trip to Lakewood to play the Blueclaws!

Day One Hundred and Ninety-Five

The 74th Annual Hunger Games

I'm a sucker for surprises and a good book. Combine the two, and you get one perfect date, and one happy wife. I picked up the books about a month ago and finished them...about a month ago. And I've been raving about them ever since. Adam caught on real quick, and tried to keep my wandering mind away from my mini-obsession; the movie was coming out, and unbeknownst to me, he was planning a surprise. Well, today, the movie came out, and I intentionally didn't bring it up all week, hoping he would remember. And tonight, I suggested we eat out for dinner, hoping he would take me. Remember? He did. Take me? He did. 

Gosh, how did I get so lucky?! All along, he had it planned out! I don't think I'll ever have reason again to question his memory skills! He pays attention to me more than I realize, and that makes my heart happy. He sat through a two hour movie that he probably didn't intend on ever seeing, and did it proudly, just to show me that he's always thinking about me. I'm crazy about my boy and love every moment with him. 

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

Matter of fact, I think they are.

Day One Hundred and Sixty-Three

The Barnes and Noble Reversal

I dragged Adam to Barnes and Noble today in search of the second book of the "Hunger Games" trilogy. The first novel was outrageously awesome and after finishing it in 3 days, I needed the next one. Needed. And fast. But instead of walking out of the store with my book, Adam walked out of the store with his book. Yes, the word Adam and book in the same sentence ;) Lately he's taken to the old ways of entertainment, and actually appreciates and enjoys the pages with all their words. This is the same guy I met two years ago, right???! The one who never studied or opened a textbook. Who poked fun at my nerdy interests. Yep, that's him. And I'm loving his transformation. He picked up Stephen Colbert's "I Am America (And So Can You)" as suggested by his best friend, and has been engaged ever since. In fact, he's gotten such a kick out of it that I might have to give it a go after he's finished. Wow. I seriously love this picture. A really, really, really hot guy. A baseball hat. And a book. I'll take that everyday. 

Day One Hundred and Sixty

The Life of Spontaneity 

We woke to an average, typical Florida morning. He rolls out of bed first, gets dressed, and then literally pulls me from under the covers. Most mornings, I'm met with a giant brown robe that he wraps around me for warmth. I trudge to the kitchen, after opening all the blinds to our apartment. Adam never remembers to do this. Sunlight pours in, and we rarely have to turn a light on. Around 7:30, I whip up a hearty breakfast, that is, when he's not craving his Capt'n Crunch Berries instead. Today, eggs, turkey bacon, and yogurt. And never anything different for me: brown sugar oatmeal paired with a fresh sliced nectarine. He walked out of the door about 8:15, a bit later than normal because of his bullpen (which he threw really well in). I watched a little more Fox News, dabbled on the internet, got an idea, then made the bed, unloaded the dishwasher, and headed to the gym. We met back home at noon, washed up, and started talking about what to do with the day. Well, I had already been on MapQuest earlier looking at a possible road trip we could take, but thinking that Adam might not be able to go because of his schedule. But I soon found out the his report to minicamp doesn't start until the 24th, so if we wanted to take any sort of final trip before season, this was the weekend to do it. And thank goodness we don't have any kiddos yet because we had our plan mapped, backpacks packed, and truck loaded in only an hour. And that's impressive for the two of us! We drove ten hours northwest, ending on a blowup mattress on the floor of Damon's apartment. On the way, with "The Hunger Games" at my fingers, music at my feet, and a husband who loves long drives at my side, we were as happy as could be. And the ridiculous, obtrusive, obnoxious billboards marking the side of the road were great for added entertainment too! They're everywhere down here. One after another, after another, after another. Non-stop. From northern Florida and through Alabama; some advertisements, some statements, some testimonials, and always a head-shaker or two every so often. It's funny how in just a few hundred miles, life can look so different. And we love experiencing these new things together. 

Tomorrow, pending reasonable weather, we'll find our destination hopefully dry enough to enjoy. If not, I might be a tad on the bummed side, cursing myself for not looking more closely  into the forecast. Even then, sunshine or rain, our time together was well worth the trip, and the surprise. 

Day One Hundred and Fifty-Three

The Fifth Month

FIVE!! ALREADY! And what we've learned thus far? Maybe we didn't choose our wedding date as carefully as we'd originally thought. Four days after our big day, completely broke, and having moved the entire span of the United States, Adam had little time to prepare for my 24th birthday. And now, those same dates - the 10th and the 14th, are staring us in the face. We're still in the mushy love stage and therefore try to do something special on the tenth day of each month. We'll probably do it the entirety of our lives if I have anything to say about it. And once again, four days later, we have something else romantic to celebrate. Complaining? Absolutely not! But if we're not careful, the checkbook might be. And so, we decided to combine the two dates together. He gets new jeans (he's grown out of his!! 18 pounds'll do that to ya!). And I got new hair. (I haven't had my locks pampered since the wedding. Eek!). Both much appreciated gifts! And now, Valentine's Day is all about the sweets! Betty Crocker, here I come!

 Also, since I finished "The Help" today - yes I'm still a nerd - my sweet husband withstood over two hours of the less-than-comparable movie, because I had to see it. And even though it was nominated as best Oscar picture, sometimes I feel like the movie industry should just leave a good book alone. Gosh, that was worth the four days of straight reading. So, so good. Now, onto "The Hunger Games," as suggested by Sue. Already have the first one. Can't wait.

Adam finished up another week of bullpens. He's been throwing 25-pitch pens on Monday and Friday, with a prep-pen on Wednesdays. Next week, he moves to three full ones. And goodness, that boy is excited! He threw today and said it was one of the best bullpens he's had in a long time. While he busts his booty each day, I pray that he's done enough to keep us here in Jupiter. We'll find out soon enough. Happy five months, Honey. I love you. 

Day One Hundred and Thirty-Eight

The Book.Worm

A Page-Turner? Who, Adam? You bet! Since meeting my sweetheart, he's never been much of an avid reader. I'd dare to even say that during the short time I knew him in school, I never saw him open a textbook. Ok, maybe once. Still, he's never much liked reading, except when the content of the pages are filled with baseball insight. It's then that he might give it a second glance. Well, I'm happy to say that he's made some progress in turning his once-dislike into a permanent interest, and on days when the sun is shining and the lizards are creeping, Adam enjoys his time getting acquainted with a story other than his own. This may sound corny, but I'm really proud of Adam. I've enjoyed watching his transformation as a man, and it stirs my heart when he takes the initiative to be different than he was. 

And just a small touch of more bad news. Tonight, we became aware of various online transactions made on our debit card, unbeknownst to either of us. Yep. A bit of debit card fraud to top off our day. Lovely. Since this has never happened to us, a slight panic began to boil, and I might have had to apologize to a customer representative that I got too irritated with. I really did say sorry. I felt bad. I think that sort of job would be a tough one to have. It was a sharp reminder that I need continual work on my lack of patience. It wasn't her fault that our debit card was recently used to support someone's "gaming" habit. In a few days, our money has purchased this person two sets of "Razer Headsets," which are used to play video games. From two different stores. At around $160 a piece, I hope these things were worth their weight in stolen funds. Tomorrow we'll be making our way to the police station to file a claim. As of now, the card has been cancelled and the funds should be returned by Monday. After hearing that the thief bought two of the same item, and that they both are used for gaming activity, Adam and I couldn't help but laugh.

Day One Hundred and Twenty

The Soggy Bottom Boy

I love my hangout buddy. For the past 4 months, we've been blessed with an offseason that's afforded us an unbelievable amount of time to spend getting to know each other. And this sort of "isolation" has equipped us with strength that I don't believe we'd have found if God hadn't placed us here in Jupiter. 4,000 miles away. When we struggle, when we banter, when we laugh, when we play, we have only ourselves and God to go to. These 120 days have given us a clear vision of who we married, why we married, and what's most important to us, both as individuals and as a couple. I've got my bootstraps pulled up and I think I'm ready for what's around the next corner. Hopefully.

 Tomorrow we'll bid farewell to this season of life and begin the steep trek toward life in the Big Leagues. The facility reopens on Monday, and he's been working diligently all weekend to prepare for the whirlwind ahead. And I certainly believe he's well on his way. For the last 48 hours, Adam's been focused on transferring his hand written binder of baseball/life notes onto his iPad. In the past, he's carried around a bulky binder filled with all-things Adam and decided that becoming more portable was the way to go. In the process, he began brainstorming more and more ideas, and now has an outlined sheet of a book he'd someday like to publish. Wow. Call me biased, but I still can't get enough of him!

And as of tonight, I've finally seen O Brother, Where Art Thou, thanks to Adam's exceptional taste in movies. Those Soggy Bottom Boys are legit and I've been humming their tune ever since.

And thank you Grama for the MercyMe CD! We love you and your cute notes :)

Day Ninety-Six

The Early Christmas Surprise

This afternoon was met with a friendly knock at the door. And a friendly gift on our doorstep. Santa? Already? I thought he was supposed to use the chimney? The packages we pulled into the house weren't wrapped. Maybe he ran out of paper? But after opening the largest box, we found out why. Instead of wrapping gifts in the traditional ways of paper, he insisted in leaving us his entire Santa bag! Inside, we found a Cuisinart Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Frozen Yogurt maker, paired with a beautiful set of California King sheets and pillowcases! And in another package? "The Twelve Days of Washington" and Peppermint Bark! What a fun way to come home! Now we just need a tree to put them under! Thanks for the gifts, Santa(s) ;)