Anyway - BEFORE the sickness hit, we had a GREAT Christmas! Honestly - what hit me this year was just the simplicity of how all of our family gets along! Trust me, it was not always this way... I mean - in the big scheme of things - we have always been pretty close and all... and we are not perfect at all - we still have different political, social, and even religious beliefs here and there... but I am talking overall - we honestly do enjoy spending time together and have each others' best interest at heart! I suppose I could easily just assume that this is family and that it is just normal! I pray for you it is... but I have known many a friend who does not have that connection and closeness with their family... not to mention their in-laws!?
So, Christmas Eve was at our house... this year has been a bit odd in that we really haven't hosted any parties or had any get togethers with friends and so it was my first chance to have a houseful of guests! My husband is constantly confused and concerned at my menu's and the things I plan for when hosting a party... he is supportive, even while thinking me crazy! I really have transformed into a way more laid back type of hostess... I haven't hosted a tea party for years... something I love to do and did often in the past!? You would think with my daughter older now - I would have MORE time and energy, not less?! Anyway - I digress... Christmas Eve was great! We officially changed our tradition several years ago to lend itself to a more relaxed fun evening... so instead of a traditional meal - we all make appetizers and hoers' doerves... we usually have some coffee, pop, and wine on hand... we enjoy a meal of snacky foods and desserts and open the gifts... then play some games together and possibly watch a holiday movie before calling it a night around midnight or so... we had a blast! The two favorites this year from what I made: Tiramisu Cheesecake, and Western Potato Rounds... (both secretly EASY and fairly quick too!) Even with everyone saying we were cutting back (and we DID in fact cut back, in the amount we spent, as well as the number of gifts given!) our only child still scored some serious presents along with some serious cash?! Not one Gift Card this year?! Well - she got one ebay card... 3 phone cards for her cell phone, and then wads of cash!? (It works out great because she is having to save up to help pay for Winter Camp next month - so we were happy to have the sweet mullah - don't get me wrong!)
One of many joys of an only child is that she doesn't know any better than to sleep in on Christmas Day! No Joke?! I think one of her friends just told her this year that it is not normal to sleep in to 9am on Christmas morning?! Her reaction? "Why would I wake up early when I stayed up so late the night before?! Besides, I have to let my parents get up and fill the stockings?!" She never even THOUGHT to wake us up!? tee hee?! We enjoyed a relaxing morning reading the Christmas story from the Bible, a little something from God Came Near, and opening gifts and stockings... Kaye opened both the 'big' gifts in the morning... her new MP3 player, and the tickets to Brian Regan (and Tobymac!) Nice!
I made our traditional Christmas Day breakfast (Eggnog French Toast, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, and fruit) and we finally got ready and headed over to Dave's parents around 1 or 2... yeah - I know - super lazy and WONDERFUL!!!
We had a traditional Turkey Dinner all together and then sang some songs around the piano, opened a few MORE gifts (???) and played some games before heading home. By the time we were packing up to come home, Kaye was sneezing and had a sore throat and running/stuffy nose!? What!?!?! On the way home it all began to click... and I remembered SEVERAL Christmas' past where we were driving home and feeling yucky?!!?! Oh man?! So - we came home, prayed, poured some Airborne into her and sent her off to rest... by nighttime - Dave was sneezing too... ugh!? sigh...
Dave went to work (on his birthday) feeling weary and achy... Kaye was still not up to par so we had plans of reading some of the new books she got for Christmas and watching some of the ever-entertaining Project Runway marathon! Yes.... we had PLANS people... now - let me just say this: It is hard to enjoy eggnog once you have seen/experienced it the 'second time around' if you will, all over on the kitchen floor, down the hallway, and into the bathroom - but not quite hitting the target (which - by the way - is the toilet... not the sink or the bathtub!!? OMG!?) It is difficult to enjoy it - not hard - but difficult!?!! So - that was fun... and required enough cleaning and vacuuming and mopping that I feel as though the house should be clean - but it is not?! Poor Dave, he managed to work the whole day and make it home to collapse... some birthday!? He did manage to eat dinner (thanks to my Mom who brought us yummy Take Out!) and he opened his gifts... not sure if I mentioned the Gift of Flight that I got for him... but he loved it! We watched Skipping Christmas last night and all went to bed... separately - with me on the couch! So far - other than being a bit tired I am doing good! Kaye is MUCH better today, however Dave came home sick at noon!? (He has missed maybe 8 or 9 days due to sickness in the last 15 years! This is including food poisoning, a broken hand, and a kidney stone!? He is sleeping right now!
So - hopefully tomorrow we will all be back to normal... poor Kayelyn - we haven't really done anything fun yet... (not counting Christmas, of course?!) Maybe we will go see a movie and let her spend a bit of that cash... or have a lunchdate with a couple of her friends... something out of the house?! Of course, we are in the midst of a winter storm watch too - so all of that is dependant on the weather!? Kayelyn has already sent out her Christmas Thank You's and I am about ready to work on those Valentine's?! tee hee... at least until I get my Christmas photo's printed?!
Speaking of photo's... here are a few from Christmas...
and this is the OH MY GOODNESS shot when she opened the MP3 Player!
Score on the Minutes... that is 200 of them... to match her two other cards for 60 minutes each?! She is going to be SO busted if she runs out anytime soon!?!?!!
Here's to a Happy and HEALTHY New Year!!!
Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~
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