Merry Christmas Eve!

What a fun Christmas!  Bug was truly old enough to understand presents this year and enjoyed opening his presents, Monkey "yuvs" everything, and Sunshine is grateful for and to everyone.  Big hugs and huge thank you's were given freely and frequently.  They all found the spirit of the season and enjoyed giving possibly even more than receiving.  They picked things out for each other and chose things they felt their sibling would truly like.  Sunshine was sick when we went shopping but was still able to find something and she truly enjoyed wrapping the presents and giving them to her brothers.  She, with the help of my mom, made me an apron.  It was completely her idea and except for the cutting out part, she sewed the whole thing, then she "hid" it under her bed.  I use the word hid loosely as she told me not to look under her bed because she hid my present under there.

Christmas Eve was at our house with my in-laws.  My father-in-law was sick and wasn't able to make it.  It must have been pretty bad as he doesn't normally admit when he's not feeling well.  My mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife and their 3 year old daughter were also there.  I decided to be wild and crazy with our dinner and do a bunch of experimental foods, because, after all, the best time to try new foods is on a major holiday!  We had cream of mushroom soup (I had made it the week before as a test run and Hubby and I devoured it), goose (I've never even had goose), apple pie (never made a homemade pie), apple/currant stuffing (sounded pretty good), mashed potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, and cranberry relish.  Everything turned out good and everyone seemed to like everything.  The pie crust recipe was for a 10" pie and my pie dish was 9", I should have just left some and not used it but I couldn't get myself to throw it away.  I ended up having a fairly thick crust, good, but thick.

After dinner was presents, lots of presents.  The kids all seemed happy with what they got though which is always nice.

Following presents was church.  Monkey enjoyed some of the Christmas carols and announced it, loudly, when the song was over.  I figured it was better than a whining child complaining they were bored and was it time to go home.  

After church we came home, left some cookies out for Santa, some water for the reindeer (they get thirsty you know, mom) and the sending the kids off to bed so we could finish doing all the last minute stuff.


Vicky