Christmas Update

Home is where the heart is....so I guess if we are with our loved ones we are home. However, if you've ever spent an extended visit in someone else's (your mother's) home, you may realize that it's still not really HOME! All that being said, you can guess that we won't be celebrating a tender NC Christmas. (Can you hear me sobbing....) Instead, we will be here in sunny Florida, enjoying being with my son and daughter in love, but trying to walk on the eggshells of my mothers's moods as we celebrate here in the home of my youth.

I'm trying to keep a good attitude....I'm trying to keep a good attitude...I'm trying........

Christmas is our favorite time of year. We love to decorate and entertain...cooking goodies and listening to our ever growing collection of Christmas CD's (just got James Taylor's new one!) and just enjoying the atmosphere that permeates the season. Unfortunately, since moving to NC in 2004, we have only been able to celebrate Christmas in our home ONE TIME!!! My goal for 2008 is to make sure we are home for Christmas!

Speaking of entertaining, our son and daughter in love had their 2nd annual Christmas Party last night. Fun was had by all! They had a nice spread (including some delicious Chicken Salad Croissant sandwiches made by yours truly - aw come on! You remember them and your mouth is watering just thinking about them!) with sandwiches, chips, candy, cookies, cupcakes, and the Chocolate Fountain with lots of fruit for dipping. Of course the kids were very happy when my brother Jay appeared with a big bag of fluffy marshmallows!!! Under the chocolate falls they went! We won't even begin to comment on the plate of chocolate covered strawberries that someone (not me!!! it was twins-actual identical twins) lost control of. I just remember hearing Duke saying to them "I hate you." as he watched them eat the strawberries. Next thing you know...chocolate on the chair, the dress, the floor.... Oh wait...I wasn't going to comment on that! Speaking of twins, ask Nancy and Robin which twins dressed exactly alike at the party! Those girls are too funny.

We had a Silly Santa gift exchange. The most sought after gifts were scratch off tickets, Bailey's Irish Cream, a bottle of bubbly and...drum roll please...a huge remote control that even Louie could read without his glasses. It was a hilarious time! I was the third person to choose a gift, and Louie was the last. Like any good husband, he got those scratchoff tickets back for me (I chose them first and immediately had them swiped from my grubby little hands!). They were a Poker Hold 'Em type game, and being the Poker enthusiast that I am, I thought at first that I had won $155. Once Louie and his brother John instructed me on what a "Flush" was...I flushed away $150 of my supposed winnings. But hey! I've got $5 to buy another ticket....and who knows what I could win on that one!!

The only thing missing at the party was the McGrew-Kelly clan...we've got to get our acts together. Last year they made the party and we didn't. This year we made the party and they didn't. Hmmmmmm. There is something so wrong with that!

We did make it to church today - the Church at Bradenton - otherwise known as Church of God on 43rd St. They had their adult Christmas program and it was very nice. Made Louie and me teary eyed as we wistfully remembered all the fun of past programs with Mike and Peggy. If I'd have known we'd be here this long, I would have joined their choir as a snowbird!

So, you're asking, is all my Christmas shopping finished??? What? Are you kidding? It would not be Christmas without me running around at the last minute trying to finish up! We may spend Christmas Eve night with Joel and Robin....so I guess I need to get myself in shopping gear and git er done. That way, I might actually get everything wrapped and ready so I can enjoy Christmas Eve, and get to bed before 3am.

Pray for us as we wander through this wonderful season. Know that we are praying for you.
Have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas!