Happy, Happy, Happy Holidays!!!!!

I hope everyone is having a really happy holiday season!!!! We've all been in and out here, and I've been so busy with the christmas program at the kid's school and having my mom come that I never really stopped in just to say that I hope everyone's holidays are WONDERFUL!



And guess what...it snowed yesterday...it will be a white christmas after all!



Kris

Look like a white Christmas here as well. In fact, it's looking like we may have a foot of snow on the ground by the end of the week.



Looks like winter's finally kicking in!



wendy

Hope your holidays are WONDERFUL and that you are able to spend time with those who are most important to you!



God Bless,

Robin

Merry Christmas to all!! Best wishes for lots of happiness over the holidays!

How is everyone? Our Christmas was *superb* and *wonderful* - we went to the most incredible Christmas Eve service that we have ever seen/heard in our lives...we ate brie and drank wine by the fireplace on Christmas Eve...we opened stockings...he went in and did rounds and came home in record time...we cooked dinner together...we opened presents...we ate dinner (which was very scrumptious, i might add!)...we took our big dog for an annual Christmas walk...we played a board game...WONDERFUL!!! I want to hear about everyone else's day!!

[houseelf]

I have to add my holiday cheer as well! I hope that you guys had wonderful holidays! We had an absolutely magical one. I have to admit, I was a little blue at first. I miss my Grandma and we are so far away from home...blah, blah, blah... you all know my pity parties by now. But I forced myself to get busy and remember that this Christmas would encompass the new traditions. We did it all: took the baby to see Santa, baked cookies, made a snowman, unplugged the tv and listened to cheesy christmas music ad naseum, went to church, called family members, sat for a family portrait, fingerpainted, ate too much, and really overdid ourselves on everything! Truly, even though it was just the three of us, we had a **wonderful time** forging new traditions. I started calling my dh "Clark" because we were as dorky about this Christmas as the family in the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie. It was awesome!



I sincerely hope that you guys all made great memories as well!



Kelly

Kelly and Claudia, your Christmases were great! We had a good time too. I missed my family quite a bit, since we were the only family absent from my side. And my girls are the only grandchildren on my side, so we left a big, gaping hole in the celebrations back home. But my husband and I had such a good time with our girls. We made the best turkey we've ever had, pumpking pies, mashed potatoes, gravey, homemade wild cranberry sauce that I made from cranberries I picked near the mountains, and Norwegian lefse (hey you Minnesotans, you must know about lefse!).



Anyway, while everything was roasting in the oven, Andrew and I drove out to our 30+ acre property that is along the river about a half hour from town. We had been out there burning some old wood from the woods a few days earlier and that fire had been too close to some roots underground. Sooooo, four days later when we came back on Christmas Day for a walk in the woods, Andrew and I actually had to put out a forest fire! Mind you it was a slow-burning, smokey, underground fire that crept under the snow, but it was within two feet of the forest and some gorgeous 100-year-old trees. We shudder to think what might have happened, as it was near the best stand of old trees on the place. Luckily, the girls had fallen asleep in the truck on the way out, so they slept while Andrew and I took turns with the shovel. I will always remember that day!



When the fire was out, we came back and had the BEST Christmas dinner we've ever had. It was peaceful and fun and just our little family, which was very cosy and intimate. The riotous uproar at my mom's would have been fun too...



Happy New Year to everyone!

Janet
Edited by: Janet at: 12/27/01 8:00:31 pm

[DCJenn]

Our holiday was very quiet. Rick was on-call Christmas Eve but luckily was able to get home by about 9:30am Christmas Day. (He volunteered to work this week and will have next week off). We opened gifts (6 months of maid service- I do love that man!!) and he then went off to bed. I chatted with my entire extended family over the course of the day, which was nice. Rick was able to catch up with an old girlfriend who is a family practice 3rd year. He was pretty happy about that. (She's married with three kids)



I'm really looking forward to New Years. My best friend since the 4th grade is flying in on Saturday and she'll be here until the 2nd. She's the one whose mother died suddenly this past spring. So, since she has taken care of everyone else for the entire year, she decided that New Year's belonged to her.



Then in 3 weeks, a friend of many years is flying in for MLK weekend and then the last weekend in Febraury my room-mate from college is coming in. Finally, some people to play with!



I consider myself so lucky to have this core group of chicks. They are so wonderful. Each is completely different than the others but they are all really good people. Guys are great but chicks rule.



Jenn

[Meenah]

Janet,

That sounds absolutely loveley, though a bit scary!! It sounds like everyone has had a nice holiday.

Luanne

It sounds like everyone had such fun holidays...save the near forest fire!!! Glad to hear that you all got it out in time.



We had a nice Christmas too....My mom and I went with Andrew and Amanda to the 9.30 PM Christmas Music 10PM candlelight service at church...Thomas had to stay home with Alex, as he fell asleep early!



After we got home, we wisked them all off to bed, and then got wrapping...I'd made the mistake of not wrapping anything that I'd bought over the last couple of months and we actually wrapped until 2am...well..what with the wine and all, it just took longer



Thomas dressed up as Santa and I got some great pics (that I'll definately post if they come out). He really got into it this year..we woke up the kids and said we'd heard something on the roof...and once they were up, Thomas walked in and his feet really stomped on the floor...he carried a bag with a couple of gifts, and the kids watched him drink the milk/eat cookies, put the gifts under the tree and fill the stockings with chocolate...Andrew didn't REMEMBER it AGAIN this YEAR!!!!! He was just too tired, I guess...but Amanda and Alex were thrilled beyond belief....



I got a beautiful pair of earrings, and gave Thomas a watch....we had gotten a $100 gift certificate at D.J. Bitzan, a fancy jewelry store nearby...and I'd snuck it from our drawer and run off there once I realized that I could get a watch for $120....so he was really surprised...he hadn't expected anything really, as we're tightening our belts to get our bills paid off.



It was wonderful to have time to visit with my mom....we had a great time!!! It just flew by....I took her to the airport today and I'm going to really miss having her around!! She was a big help....and we stayed up every night until 2, 3...even 4 am...laughing, having a bit of wine and just really enjoying each other's company!



Glad to hear everyone had nice holidays!



Kris

[Meenah]

Everyones holidays do sound nice. Jenn, I'm jealous of your upcoming visits!!! Sounds like fun.

Kris, I'm glad your Mom was with you, I hope the next few weeks won't be too much of a letdown.. I always feel so sad when my Mom leaves. Happy new year to all of us!!!!!!!!

Luanne