CHRISTMAS
We had such a great time. My parents and brother Dean, James, Melissa and the kids,
and my nephew Jake all showed up for Christmas. Jakes mom and sister live here now so they were already here. The only ones missing were Our son Matthew, and my youngest sister and her husband and daughter. We ate until we were all so uncomfortable that we couldn't breathe or walk. I didn't take a single picture. I was so busy that I didn't even think about it. No one else did either.
On Thursday afternoon Em and I had gone out shopping for a little while. When we got home I realized that something was different about the way that I had left the entry way. I looked up and there was Jake. I was so tickled to see him. We didn't know if he would be able to get away for Christmas or not. James and Melissa came over that day also. We just didn't see them until the next night. Mom and dad got here early afternoon on Christmas eve. So did Bill and Lenora some good friends.
Mom and I had to go get some shopping done so we left for a few hours.
We fixed vege trays, cracker trays, coldcut trays, cheese balls, Shrimp Scampi a Christmas Eve tradidtion for the last several years, and Rumaki, water chestnuts, chicken livers, and bacon skewered with a toothpick and broiled until done. YUMMY!
Everyone stayed and visited until about 11:00 or shortly thereafter. Then we still had Christmas gifts to wrap. Phillip had bought all of the stocking stuffer things so he was up into the early hours wrappingg and putting out gifts,
CHRISTMAS DAY
Em loves to sleep in except for Christmas morning. She got us up at 7:05. She wouldn't even wait for grandma and grandpa to get here. That's OK. She got spoiled!
We all pretty much did.
Jul, Jess, Jake, Mom, Dad, and Dean showed up at about 9:00 AM. We exchanged gifts with them, then we made breakfast. Waffles, sausages, and eggs. YUMMY! again!
We just sat and visited and ate and watched movies all day and into the night. Em wanted to take grandma and grandpa over to the new Idaho Veterans Cemetary that was just dedicated a couple of months ago. So grandma, Em, Dean and I drove over there it is less than a a mile away so we didn't have far to go. The place is spectacular,
it sits partly up on the hill over looking the valley so you can see clear across town. It is huge, incredibly beautiful and peaceful. that was about the end of the day. just before night fall. Mom and Dad stuck around for just a couple of hours longer then went back to their motel for the night.
The next morning they came back over to pick up things that needed to go back with them and to meet James and Melissa so that they could carry some of their things back with them. We said good by at about noon and sent them on their way. Bitter sweet for me. I love having my family around I just don't want to move back across the state to where they are. I hate the weather over there. Their lives are all over home so they wouldn't think of ever moving over here.
Mom W was here 12/27/2004 11:50:00 PM
