Hanukkah - Merry Christmas - Happy Birthday

[Harriet]

' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' 'Happy Birthday to you' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' '
' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' 'Happy Birthday to you' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' '
♫ Happy Birthday, Norma and Twins Mom ♫
' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' 'Happy Birthday to you' ' • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' '

All good wishes to those who are with family and friends today. Have a wonderful, meaningful time!

We are having a very quiet day like Sunny. Dd13 was so anxious she couldn't sleep last night. So, although her father didn't know it, she and I "discovered" the hearth gifts together about 1:00 a.m. Her ddad made sure there was a Bamboo Create digital canvas as her special present there. I had been a little hesitant, wanting her to learn methods with traditional media before encountering digital, but HRH doesn't want her to be "out of touch with the future" either.

My ddad knew immediately this morning it was Christmas - I think his cell phone tells him things like that. We enjoyed hearing from him about his childhood Christmases, and I explained we'd be waiting until all the other children can come tomorrow to open gifts.

Dsecondmil and dstepfil called in advance to say they would be coming today, "to see what dd13 got" and then go on to see what dd's little cousin got as Santa passed by their house a few miles from here. I asked for a time, but she said they would have to call. So a lot of potentially smart things to do with this day have not happened, as we wait for them, and HRH is a little frustrated but won't call. Almost 2 - I can't imagine she thinks the gifts are "new" still!!! especially for a 4-year-old! I have been able to put 1.5 dozen deviled eggs in the fridge for tomorrow, though, so I'm happy with that use of time. All the children have called, firming up plans for tomorrow.

We have really been blessed by programming on The Travel Channel today - an outlet I'd never thought of for Christmas day enjoyment. Just lovely documentaries on Christmas celebrations around the world. I couldn't help but think of some of our villagers who have such warm feelings for Europe - helia, blessed, Kathryn, LurkyLou, LisaB and others - as we watched "Rick Steves' European Christmas" especially, a program I want to remember for next year.

[OKay]

What a joyful celebration happening in our little village today!!

Happy Birthday Norma!

This morning started before the sun came up with 3 little ones up and at ''em After gifts were opened and everyone dressed, we went to DParents for breakfast. DMom insisted on making breakfast for everyone. She said it helped to have young ones around. Afterwards we loaded up and traveled to DMIL for DH family gathering. There was only enough sitting places in the various rooms of her home for about 1/2 of us so everyone was standing and milling around. We took pictures of various groups - generations, grandkids, great grandkids, siblings, cousins, etc. It was a mass of people but was heart warming because everyone gave hugs and had the spirit of Christmas. .....joy, peace and love

DSon and family left to go celebration with DDIL Grandparents and mother, then they will travel to her DDads for the final holiday celebration.

Not sure what I will do with the rest of my day.

bbl

[Lilac]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our board Christmas babies Twins mom and Norma!

We finally brought my computer over yesterday. I could have used his but prefer mine.

We had our Christmas celebration with our dds and their families last night. Lots of food leftover. We had a wonderful time. The move and getting ready for Christmas the last few days has finally caught up with me. I am wore out. I hope I can stay awake because we are going to see W ar H orse at 4:20. It looks like a really good movie to see on the big screen.

Merry Christmas!

[Nancy]

One good thing about not having the Christmas thing here, and not having very many gifts is that we focus more on the reason for the season and it's WAY easier to clean up, and we do not have to contend with left over things that are not on our diets!

One not so good thing about going to the Christmas Eve service and not today's is that they did not have announcements OR a bulletin so we are totally out of the loop now not knowing if they do a watch night service if they will have one or two services next week ~sigh~ but I can e-mail or talk to folks I know in case the office is closed.

I've cleaned up after breakfast & lunch.
H. made the bed.

It's 51* and breezy out now we are supposed to have rain later on this week but no snow in the forecast.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Wonderful day so far.

Church service went well. It was lessons and carols and most people had a chance to read.

I got the garbage emptied and we rushed back home to pick up the guitar and the kids and headed down to the diner. The Christmas dinner at the diner was not as well attended this year as last but was still fun. Ds and dd had a light dinner, dh and I just sang. After eating, dd served and cleaned.

While she and I were doing dishes, she commented that my bosom buddy lived there now and maybe we should drop by so dh phoned over and we visited for about 30 minutes.

We're home now for another 2 - 3 hours. Turkey will be done soon but I have to do all the the side dishes. And set the table.

[Indiana]

I had a wonderful day. 3 hours was spent eating brunch.

it was liesurely and good. We just kept talking. In fact more talking than eating.

[Twins' Mom]

Thank you for birthday and Hanukkah wishes - has been a busy day here. We were w friends last night and visited until late and got home about 12:15 a.m. Today has felt like a marathon punctuated by naps! I was up at 5:45 to make breakfast casseroles, we were at dmom's by 9:15 (and the last arriving.) Back home three of us napped about an hour before going to an afternoon brunch @ home of Jewish friends. Think bagels, lox, herring, kugel, and mimosas. Back home late afternoon I took tums and napped w head elevated, then tonight we have been next door for egg nog and dessert and good company.

Harriett will understand when I say I am "peopled out." tomorrow I hope to stay home, speak to no one and perhaps fast.

[Nancy]

On the way to town I saw 8 deer. Got the car washed. We saw the movie real steel at the $1.oo theater. H. really liked it, me not so much. Not much open for eating out I picked up a couple of things I forgot at the store one item was the last in stock so I felt lucky! We enjoyed the lights and came home a diff. way then we had sandwiches after our outting.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Almost done for the day. Now I'm prepping for tomorrow. The dishwasher is just finishing, the shrimp ring is defrosting and I'm making up my last batch of nuts and bolts, so I can put them out and not feel bad for dh because people are eating his treat!

We had a nice dinner and then packed up most of the leftovers and took them down to the hospital. It was really quiet (tomorrow will be the busy day, no-one wants to come to the ER on Christmas) and ds took us on a quick tour of his office.

The driving is awful. It took us about 35 minutes to get to the hospital (a 20 minute drive normally) and the way back was 40. I was worried about ds doing it late tonight and then again in the morning to go pick up friends. Then I realized that he should just stay in the city at his house tonight and save an almost hour of commute plus his gas. So I called him back and told him to do that. Originally, he was working the overnight and it made sense for him to come here and sleep until the party but now he doesn't start nights until tomorrow night.

We cleaned up the dishes and started the soup in the crock pot. Then I realized I needed to make up the nuts and bolts.

Garbage/recycle/compost is out. Tomorrow is a stat holiday and no-one else has their garbage out so dh double checked the calendar from the city and sure enough it will be tomorrow. For the compost stuff, if we miss tomorrow it is another 2 weeks and our bin won't hold a month's worth so we have to be collected tomorrow. We've run into this in past years so are experienced with it, the truck will run through the neighbourhood at 7 a.m. sharp at full speed because no-one has their garbage out and then they can say they did their run, get paid big bucks (double time for the stat holiday) and go home early. I learn from my mistakes so now always check the calendar.

Seven more minutes and I can go to bed. I should be brushing my teeth to speed up the process to get into bed. Dd was falling asleep in the chair and too tired to get up and go to bed. Hopefully, she'll get a good long sleep tonight. She is exhausted according to her dh so he didn't want me to over-schedule her. I had to, though, but things will get quieter now and earlier bedtimes.

[Lilac]

We arrived at the movie theatre 20 minutes before showtime. There was a long line and a lot of people had bought advanced tickets. Dh stood in line for tickets after we were in the building. I stood in line for popcorn and pop. Dh thinks you HAVE to have those. After he purchased the tickets he joined me in line. That was a big mistake. By the time we were ready to head into our movie, it was almost full. It has stadium seating, so you could easily see there were no empty seats. We had to sit on the front row. Dh fussed about that for several minutes and then calmed down. W ar H orse is a really good movie. So if we ever decide that we are going to a movie on opening day at Thanksgiving or Christmas again, we will buy advanced tickets or stay home. We hardly ever go to a movie on opening day because I hate to sit in a crowded theatre but it just seemed like the thing to do today.

Very quiet in here today.