A Little Christmas Recap

Just sharing a few photos from Christmas.

Here's the gang. We've been having the most beautiful weather--record breaking temperatures even to this day. We're all about being comfortable on Christmas Eve. We start with a big breakfast: bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes and fresh fruit salad. After breakfast, we clean up and then start the last minute cooking for Christmas Eve. We do pickup food and eat while we open gifts. The star of our menu is a beef tenderloin on Sister Shubert rolls with homemade horseradish cream. Justin is in charge of that. In addition, we have just a little of everything including boiled shrimp. I made deviled eggs because the boys like them. I always think of them as picnic/bbq food. When Nicky requested them about 10 years ago, I added them to the menu. 

Anyway, after food prep, we usually start with the games. But before that, I got a kick out of the fact that everyone was hovered around one of my scrapbooks. They were laughing and reading the stories. They were each adding their own memories. 

I started scrapbooking in 1999, so it's been over 20 years now. It makes me happy that they enjoy looking at them. I am a storyteller at heart and scrapbooking and this blog are my venues.

Jordan and Robbie introduced us to a new game this year called Code Names. It was so much fun--too hard for me to explain. Considering all of our games tend to be boisterous, it was nice to have a calmer and quieter one. 

There were only 7 of us for Christmas dinner. Setting the table is still my very favorite thing to do.  On Christmas Day, I get out my good Christmas china, Waterford crystal and silver flatware. I used to pull out the good stuff pretty regularly. But I don't entertain as much anymore, so have joined the ranks of only using it on holidays. When the girls were little, I took every opportunity to set a fancy table and made special dinners. We had family parties all the time. I do still enjoy it. I just need to use it more often. Otherwise, what's the point of having it? I always felt like that. I've just gotten away from it.

When dinner is over, we're pretty much ready for everyone to leave! I send everyone home with plenty of leftovers. Then, I want to take my time cleaning up. Of course, Butch helps. It takes about an hour. After that, I take a long nap---with my book. A really long nap....

I felt like this was a really fun and festive holiday season. Still, it goes by way too fast. 

Tomorrow we're off to New York for the ball drop. We're taking Sandy, Stephanie, Mindy and the hubs for the party! We're staying at the Marriott Marquis and have a room overlooking Times Square. That way we can be a part of the festivities without being cold!! 

We have reservations at one of our favorite restaurants and a couple others that are new to us. We are seeing Tina (Sandy, Greg, Butch and I) while Steph, Nicky, Mindy and Justin see MJ. On New Years we're seeing Hugh Jackman in The Music Man--the purpose of the trip. We were supposed to go in the spring of the lockdown, but it was postponed---well, you know why! Then postponed again and then once more. Looks like it's happening! Can't wait!

I hope we don't get caught up in the airline/airport fiasco. Fingers crossed that we don't have any problems!