Christmas Eve

Here are some thoughts to go with all these photos (so many days later!)

Christmas Eve 2007

The kids were home and were so excited they were kind of bouncing around. They kept asking about the rituals that we have done for the holidays, going over everything they could think of again and again, asking the same questions, again and again.

Can we open a present because it is Christmas Eve? Yes.

Can we pick the present? No.

When can we open the present? When Dad gets home.

Same questions every year, same answers every year.

When they weren't thinking of the present they get to open, they are double and triple checking about our plans.

Who is coming over?
When are they coming?
What are we having for dinner?

Well Slade worked a half-day and picked up Phil who had flown in for a few days from Chi-town. Auntie Jill & Asher were coming, and Erika. Erika came over in the early afternoon to help make the meal. We made boudin (the traditional chicken-veal sausage), some kind of red-meat roast thing, Erika made an amazing mushroom sauce that we had with polenta, and other stuff i can't remember. Jill arrived with so many hors d'oeuvres we couldn't even put them all out. She gave us this amazing dessert wine that was amazing. We had it every night after that until it was finished. Just a few days. Yummy.

the kids were thrilled to open Rock Band as their combined x-mas eve present. actually we needed to give zane a present to open because he couldn't do the rock band. the kids really wanted slade and i to the the rock band with them and it took until this past weekend for us to do that. it was really fun actually. our first song slade was lead singer, i was bass, graham guitar, cody drums. then we switched a few times. the drums was the hardest for me. luckily the songs are all very good. maybe some of you don't know what Rock Band is? It is a "game" that is played with their Xbox. It is two guitars, drums, mircophone, You are your own band. It is really fun to hear people do the lead singing. Slade was really rockin'.

We had a great x-mas eve spent with Phil & Jill, who we have spent many holiday meals with, but not many in recent years. It was nice to add Erika to our holiday time! We were so thrilled to have Phil come up and spend a few days with us during this time. it was also great for me not to go to mid-night mass. jesus and i aren't the best of friends.

slade and i were happy that we didn't have any elaborate toys to set up before going to bed, and when we turned on the tv to fold the clothes that were piled high on the bed - Miracle on 34th Street was just starting. it took almost the whole movie to get everything folded (but not put away). it is one of my favorite holiday movies, and i love watching a good movie late at night, so a perfect ending to the day.