Christmas Day 2011

My Kids on Christmas Morning

So all I can say is, thank God for Skype! This was my first year to not have all three kids here for Christmas morning.  Skype was the next best thing! Michael was able to be with us while we opened presents - including opening his for him right there on the video camera. The mail in Nicaragua is too unpredictable, so we couldn't send him anything. And presents that have any value at all never make it through. So we just opened his presents here: Pulp Fiction, 50 Funniest American Writers by Andy Borowitz, Kindle books that can be read online, and a subscription to Audible Books. So even though Michael is staying with a family that doesn't celebrate Christmas, he could still be part of ours.

If you read about Christmas Eve, you'd know I was up a little late with the wrapping. I was SOO sleepy when Alyssa tiptoed in to say, "Merry Christmas" at 8 a.m. Josh had started coffee downstairs, Katie was dozing on the couch, Grandma had already packed up her bedding from the couch, and Ron was up feeding the dogs. Hard to believe that *I* was the last one up this year!

So we all went to My Little Room with the Fireplace and the Tree.  We pulled up Skype and Michael got on. He chatted and watched. We opened presents for an hour. Everyone was happy.

I hadn't made any Special Christmas Breakfast this year. I need to manage my time a little better next year. I like having the Cookie Exchange the day before Christmas Eve, because we have so many cookies for the actually Holiday.  But it threw me off as far as prep for our Christmas.   Of course, as I type that, I'm pondering the idea of going to Nicaragua for some of the Christmas holidays next year.  Then I can bring stuff to Michael that he might like to have. We'll see.

I evidently didn't have the stabilizer on with the   camera, so our Christmas photos are a little blurry. But here's our Christmas Morning! 

After we ate, Josh and Alyssa went to his family's house for Christmas Lunch and gift-giving. Katie hung out with her boyfriend, Michael and I continued to Skype, helping him figure out how to set up his Kindle books online and audible books.

I had a lovely afternoon of reading my gardening/landscaping magazines - one of my traditional - and favorite Christmas gifts! When we don't have a lot of family over, it's nice to be able to curl up in my little front room with my fireplace and dream of beautiful gardens and future projects.  I even managed to squeeze in a delicious little nap!

Ron's brother Scott, and his wife Pam came by after they ate with family in Georgetown. About that time, Katie and Trenton, Josh and Alyssa all came back here for the evening.

Our Christmas was DEFINITELY different this year. I certainly don't enjoy having Michael so far away for such a family holiday. But I pulled off Christmas Day with no tears. (I got a little teary about it at the Christmas Eve church service, but that was it.)

And, who knows! Maybe next year we'll take a big family trip to Nicaragua!!