best. Christmas. ever.

At long last, I have had Christmas with my children. Last year, though I was physically present in the home, I was too shattered to savor it. This year though, we had a blast.

On Sunday we went to see My Gift's parents and had yummy food and thoughtful gifts and a great time. Then we went to a wedding whereat the children danced and whooped it up and were lots of fun to be with. They we drove home and fell into our beds, savoring the memories of the day. My favorite was watching My Gift (who hates to dance) being pulled onto the dance floor by Chickadee. We got to see the family that was introduced My Gift and me. I'll tell you the story another day.

On Monday the kids and I went to have breakfast with all the local cousins on my Dad's side. More yummy food and very fun to see all that side of the family. Dandy, keeping with holiday traditions, fell into the marsh and got quite wet. My Gift stayed home as his ticker is still getting used to the medication.

Monday evening my siblings and nieces and parents came to soup and bread supper at our house; they all went to church afterward but we were quite weary and longing for our pillows.

Tuesday morning was everything I had hoped for. The children delighted in their Christmas stockings and gifts. We got to eat our traditional Christmas morning meal (Smoked Salmon Quiche and Kringle - recipes another day). I got to take a long hot bath and read a chapter in my new book: Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks.

Then we went over to my Mom & Dad's for Christmas with them. My sister's three girls were home from work/school and they played with our kids and Dad was feeling perky and engaged and I was just spilling over with happiness.






I loved the menu so much that I am blogging it so that we can remember it next year:

Deviled Eggs
Spinach Rolls
Swedish Meatballs
Mashed Potatoes
Caraway Rye Bread
Hot Beet Dish (?? have to get recipe from b.i.l.)
Cabbage Rolls
Sour Cream
Fruit Salad
Cookie Plate
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Crisp
Ice Cream

And I got another new book: My Sister's Keeper: A Novel which I will probably stay up to read tonight.

So very much to rejoice in and be grateful for this year. Tis the celebration of the Lord's birth today, and yet I have so little to say about that. I think this year has been one of the Holy Spirit sustaining me and fortifying me. For some reason, the idea of Pentecost moves me much more than the Nativity does. Perhaps because I haven't been thinking of eternity this year, just of getting through the day.

Speaking of the Nativity, did I mention that Dandy was the tax collector in the school play? He was perfectly cast: loves money and loves to be bossy. He was a radiant tax collector.