How was your Christmas?

[PrincessFiona]

For those of you that celebrated Chrismas yesterday...how was it?

We had such a great day...admittedly, we overdid it with toys, etc...but it was a lot of fun. The kids were all in chocolate candy overload, and on a new toy buzz....but we all had such a blast. Kelly came over for awhile on the 24th and then my mom and I went to church....which..turned into a hysterical story of it's own...then Thomas and I took the kids to the 11pm service and it was really nice. (DH took communion for the first time in 20 years and has been going on about God since then )

We had lots of turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and cookies, cookies, toffies and more cookies from the iMSN exchange.

I don't think I'll be able to eat for a month!

How about you guys?

Kris

mine was a combo of good and bad. we overdid it BIG TIME on toys (what we got plus what family got) - and the kids really played out the spoiled brat scenario. lots of whining and fighting and crying. dh didn't handle it well, which just compounded the stress for me and converted into a disappointing day rather than the one I'd been imagining all through training.

we had a nice break at our neighbor's though - and they ended up keeping Jacob for a couple hours to help occupy their son when their daughter slept. it was a nice treat - and reminded me that I've really moved into a good neighborhood.

we're disassembling Christmas today -- my stuff was up this year FAR earlier than usual, so I've just had it. I thinkI'll feel much better when I have my house back.

I'm glad you had a good one Kris - you deserve it.

Ours was one that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Colton was up for about three hours on Christmas Eve, then for the morning refused to eat any breakfast, but had some milk to drink. About an hour later he was puking all over the place.
Gretchen and I put together turkey and stuffing and when I was getting the roasting pan out from under the cabinets, my back spasmed and I fell on the dog dish dumping food and water all over the floor....oh yeah, and it was right where Colton had puked just moments before.
So, by around 4p we finally got all the gifts opened for the boys, had our dinner, and cleaned the kitchen. The rest of the day we just tried to regroup....


...today we are taking down Christmas in a BIG WAY....it is over, put it in a box until next year. (oh yeah, we went to the ER for Colton, he ruptured an eardrum so we got him some meds....luckily Drew and Gretchen were healthy and good)

[DCJenn]

Wow!

Just more confirmation that we made the right decision in NOT doing any decorating, etc. I did get out the plastic canvas gingerbread house for the Christmas cards. (My grandmother made it- it's awful but I love it anyway)

We went over to my parents and enjoyed their perfectly decorated house and then came home and started packing away all of Nikolai's new and some old toys. We figure it'll be like Christmas all over again once we move. We did let him keep out a few new things.

Of course, the infamous Petey was allowed to stay at my parent's house, and because my dad is a total freak about the dog, Petey scratched the door and frame of the bathroom (a huge bathroom, but still a bathroom) that my dad insisted that we keep him in). Yeah, that was a great discovery. And Petey would have been perfectly fine if my dad had just let him wander through the house. Which he did later, as we didn't want him to scratch up the bathroom anymore. So, Pop will get a Home Depot card from us this week.

Yay. My mother decided that the theme of this year was, "Ho effing Ho."

Jenn

[mommax3]

Ours was nice for the most part. DH has been on call since Thursday (and will be until tomorrow morning) so that meant we couldn't go anywhere, which is kind of nice, BUT it also meant that everyone came here. I hosted a Christmas Eve brunch for my dad/stepmother, their kids, my half-sister's fiance, my aunt, and one of my sisters. During the gathering, it was revealed that my Dad (who is much older than my stepmother) is apparently moving to FL alone, and my stepmother may join him if she finds a job there, but may not, because she doesn't really want to work in FL (she has a PhD in education and works in administration) and also because she is still in the Indiana Guard. No one is exactly clear as to why this is all taking place, and I am being looked to (as usual) to figure it out and comfort everyone.


All of the church related stuff I had to do for Christmas Eve/Day services went fine, but I was relieved when it was over. Everyone (participants and listeners) was very appreciative of the choir performances and special music, etc., though, so I think it added a lot to the season for them, and really, it did for me, too.....music is a big part of the Christmas holiday for me.

On Christmas morning, DH went to the hospital at 6:30 to round and discharge two patients. I got up at 6 and showered/got ready for church. We woke the boys up at 7:15, opened presents, had breakfast, and left for church at 9:30. We got home around 12, and DH and I started cooking dinner for my mom, my grandma, her gentleman friend, my aunt (yes, same one.....she spent the weekend here at my house) my sister, and the five of us. I had done a lot of food prep the day before, but it was still busy getting everything ready. During that gathering, I learned from my sister that my mom thinks I have been avoiding her since I moved back. Great. So I try to deal with that issue with my mom and she laughs the whole thing off. They all leave and we start cleaning up. I took my aunt home this morning and fought sleep the whole way there and whole way back! It is a gloomy rainy day today, the kind where you just want to take naps, so we have all been kicking back.

Both my mom and my dad want to do another get together when my other sister is here....she arrives Jan. 3rd. I am not sure I have the strength!!!

The boys had a great time and got just the right amount of toys. However, my in-laws are flying in Tuesday and will stay until Saturday, so we have another round to go. They are generally easier to be around, so I hope it will be more relaxing!

Sally

[SuzySunshine]

Ours was very quiet. DH was on call both days so he worked 6a-8p, he did get to come home a little bit yesterday which was nice but we opened our presents to and from each other Christmas Eve and then just vegged yesteray. We're off to Kansas on Saturday to spend a week with both sides of the families and celebrate with everyone else. It was actually kind of nice to spend a holiday with just the two of us for a change.

It was nice.

Had everything a day early so S/BIL could get to his folks too.

Gorged on ham and mashed taters, then opened some pressies. It turned out okay even though all we gave was some med school insigna stuff and homemade peppermint bark, mocha and cookies, plus the ornaments the boys made.

Walked around the neighborbood and looked at the lights.

Then on Christmas Day, long after Tim woke up and waited patiently to open more presents, Dh and I went to see a movie. Also visited my mom.

[Michele]

MIne was nice! I got to see my parents and we had dinner at my sister's house. I didn't have to cook really or clean!! Ahh....especially since I had to go into the hospital every day this weekend....

But I got a great Christmas present!!





It's wonderful. Russ picked it out and did all the hagglig and I got to drive it home and it's mine! I've been driving a 91 Civic with no AC (for 2 hot Florida summers now), a leaky windshield (during the past hurricaine season and all the Florida rain), sanded and primed rust spots (orange on maroon)....I could go on....but the new car has power locks, a moonroof, AC, a huge trunk/wagon, and drives so smooth!

I'm happy!

[SueC]

Wow Michele, what an awesome gift!!!
We had a great Christmas! We went to Iowa to spend it with my parents, and despite the stomach bug we all acquired and then passed on to my mom, we had a good time. My parents took the kids ice skating for the first time and while Syd did not enjoy it, Maya really took to it and wants to try lessons now. The kids went nuts over their gifts and have been playing nonstop with them ever since. We came home on Christmas day and had some more presents waiting under the tree that Santa mistakenly delivered to our house, and the kids had another round of presents (they didn't need it but their expressions were priceless). Yesterday, we undecorated the entire house, so aside from the toys, there isn't a trace of Christmas in my house, which I'm thrilled about. I was getting sick of all tlhe clutter.

My mom came to visit for Christmas. It was nice for the girls to see her and to have more family but not too much family. They woke up at 6am ready to go and see what Santa brought.

I was really missing a Colorado Christmas this year but it was 60 degrees and dry there. The misty rainy weather here felt more appropriate. And when I called my dad, a few of my extended family members were fighting. Woohoo! Glad I wasn't there.

Nice car, Michelle!

Wow, Sally, rest and relax now to prepare for the next round!

[Rapunzel]

It was a really great Christmas, actually!

I was worried that it was going to be sad or lonely because this was the first year we had not traveled to Texas and stayed with my parents or had family up here to visit for Christmas.

We also overdid the presents and the candy for the kids. I think next year we're not going to do so many toys (we ended up with seven huge presents for each child including what my parents and sister gave all of them).

The night before (Christmas Eve) we had beef/corn/cheese enchiladas because I wimped out on the tamales. Next year we'll do them - but it will be easier if we're in Texas (ingredients and Mexican in-laws within easy reach there). We watched the old California Raisins claymation Christmas special and then sang Christmas carols before the kids went to bed. The baby decided she was going to stay up and play Santa Claus, too, so she, my husband, and I were all awake until 1am putting Santa's gifts out in the living room and in stockings.

The kids woke up about 7am and promptly woke us up to say that Santa had been here. We got up, did the present thing, had Rosettes and whipped cream and strawberry jam for breakfast. Then we read the Christmas story and talked about it for a while. Our church had a very brief meeting today (one hour as opposed to the three hours of Sacrament and classes) but we didn't attend. Instead, we had a Sunday School lesson about why Christmas is so important and what happened during that timeperiod.

Then, I helped the kids with their toys (some of them were LEGOs that required about an hour to assemble!) and played with them into the late afternoon while my husband fell asleep on the sofa. By the evening I felt sick to my stomach and my head hurt - too much sugar, too little sleep, and too much excitement. I relaxed in the recliner and ate a bit of real food while my husband made shrimp, crabcakes, and hushpuppies in the kitchen. We ate those and then spent a couple of hours on the phone (everyone took turns) talking to my parents as well as my husband's brother, Stephen, who is on his mission in New Zealand (and, wants to become a director/producer of films when he returns).

We got the kids into bed and collapsed into our own bed by about 11pm. There, I ate some of the chocolates that my husband and kids had used to hide one of my gifts in and passed out cold!

It was fun - but exhausting! I'm glad Christmas only comes once a year!

Jennifer

MIne was nice! I got to see my parents and we had dinner at my sister's house. I didn't have to cook really or clean!! Ahh....especially since I had to go into the hospital every day this weekend....

But I got a great Christmas present!!





It's wonderful. Russ picked it out and did all the hagglig and I got to drive it home and it's mine! I've been driving a 91 Civic with no AC (for 2 hot Florida summers now), a leaky windshield (during the past hurricaine season and all the Florida rain), sanded and primed rust spots (orange on maroon)....I could go on....but the new car has power locks, a moonroof, AC, a huge trunk/wagon, and drives so smooth!

I'm happy!

Nice car! Your husband must love you lots.

[Vanquisher]

Nice car! Your husband must love you lots.

I wonder who wrote that?

Congrats on the great gift!

[SueC]

I didn't even notice that Heidi! Whoever it is seems to be a big fan of Michele's if you read his, I mean their, tagline.

Alright, I've been found out. We have an odd relationship in that we're both medical spouses and in medicine. Right now I'm the "spouse", come next year she will be.