Febru-Merry

Although we had planned to have Christmas 2019 in January 2020, scheduling conflicts pushed the celebration into February. The downstairs tree was already decorated in red and white, so creating a Valentine's theme was easily done by adding a paper heart and white roses to the December centerpiece on the dining room table.

Kelly and Rodney arrived around 4 in the afternoon, a little earlier than I had expected. Andrew and Alee came a few hours later. We snacked on celery (Alee's choice), chips, spinach and cheese dips and creme cheese topped with jalapeno jelly while waiting for Adam and Sarah.

I asked Rodney to be the official photographer and handed over my camera. Unfortunately, I hadn't used it for a long time and couldn't remember how to set it for still photos instead of video. Not a problem though and Rodney took video until the 4 gig card was full. Then we switched to our phones and captured more video and pictures.

After we opened presents, I read the notes from Andrew, Alee and Adam about the charities they had chosen this year. Their choices were deeply personal and sparked discussion and reflection.

Supper followed presents. Meat choices were pulled pork and turkey and gravy on buns (Andrew's favorite) and hot ham sliders. (The left-over ham sliders went home with Sarah.) Side dishes included baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, and broccoli salad. During the after-dinner table conversations, Rodney cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen, giving me time to enjoy family. When we moved to the living room, Adam and I slipped away for a while to discuss stock investments.

The kids went back to Lawrence but Rodney and Kelly stayed all night.

The next morning, Rodney visited his mother while Kelly and I slept in. Rodney also went shopping and returned with a digital meat thermometer and a big bottle of dish detergent.  I had trouble getting the ham sliders baked to the right temperature the night before so he saw that I needed a good thermometer. And, he had run out of dish soap when cleaning up. Great after-Christmas presents!

Delaying Christmas until February resulted in a relaxed holiday. We should do this again!

Christmas in December 2019

Planning for Andrew's wedding put the 2019 Christmas schedule into January 2020 but celebrations with Dorothy and Barney on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day continued as usual.

After Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. We avoided a long wait for seating by heading to the bar. Our timing was great because a couple in a booth were getting ready to leave and we slid in right behind them.

When I checked my restaurant gift cards, I found some from 54th Street, Frederick Inn and Olive Garden. The Olive Garden one was a gift from Andrew several years ago. (And I still have some $$ left on an iTunes card Adam gave me.)

At Barney and Dorothy's after dinner, I added my presents to the ones spread under the tree. Then Marcee joined us via Facetime and we took turns opening our gifts.

My presents included original artwork by Wanda Taylor and Lana Cease. I am collecting local artists so these pictures will be valued additions. I took some colored pencil classes with Wanda and now have purchased every colored pencil available at the St. Joseph Hobby Lobby. Lana is a friend who will probably be famous one day and, thanks to my sister and bro-in-law, I have one of her original watercolors.

Dorothy and Barney invited me to join them for dinner on Christmas Day. My favorite dish was the mac and cheese so Dot gave me the recipe: Go to the grocery store, find Stouffers in the frozen food section.

After we cleared the table and filled the dishwasher, Dot brought out her gift from Marcee, a karaoke microphone. Barney, wisely, retreated to watch tv. We sisters sang and recorded each other singing. I think we sounded better in person than we do on the videos we made. LOL

Our singing reminded me of Christmas Past when Mother and Aunt Bea, after several "highballs," harmonized on "Whispering Hope." Although I captured their voices on a tape recorder, neither the tapes nor the equipment to play them still exist.

'Tis the Season 2018

The Holiday Week started on Christmas Eve with Dorothy, Barney and I going to Ashland Avenue church for a Christmas service and to a gathering of friends afterwards. Later, we opened presents at  Barney and Dorothy's.

Several days later, thanks to Kelly's coordinating efforts, the family Christmas celebration came together on December 29. Unfortunately, Rodney had to stay in Lawrence at the last minute.

Kelly, Andrew and Alee arrived in St. Joseph around 6:30. We snacked on hot dips, chips, and crackers (Alee went for the celery) while waiting for Adam and Sarah. We went ahead and started eating around 8 o'clock.

Ribs were the featured entree with ham sliders as a second choice.  Sides included potato salad, broccoli salad (for Rodney), baked beans and pasta salad (for Kelly). Left-over Thanksgiving turkey in gravy over a bun proved to be the most popular menu item. *making note for next year*

Adam and Sarah came around 9:45. The ham sliders were a little toasty on top but Sarah didn't care. Later, she and Adam volunteered to take some home.

After we finished eating, we went downstairs to open presents.  Andrew and Adam passed them out and then we opened them all at once. Again this year, Andrew and Adam's gift to me was a contribution to charity. Alee and Sarah participated also. Andrew and Alee chose St. Jude; Adam and Sarah chose the Lawrence Humane Society.

I received everything I asked for. Maybe because I texted photos to Kelly from Sam's Club and Walmart of just what I wanted ???

This year's missing $$ search was conducted by Kelly. This has almost become a tradition. We finally found the missing $ in an unopened present.

The Four Days of Christmas

    On the First Day of Christmas, Dec. 22, Kelly and Rodney arrived in St. Joseph around 5 pm. Adam, Andrew and Alee came later but Sarah, who had to work, missed her first Christmas at Grandma DJ’s.
    Around 9 pm, Andrew, Alee and Adam showed up, ready to chat and snack a while before we ate. After dinner, we went downstairs to open gifts. $anta brought a supply of Wild Madagascar Vanilla for Kelly and a MAGA coffee cup for Rodney. Grandma DJ got a leaf blower and a small shop vac, both of which had been on her Christmas list. There were lots of other presents, including the traditional books and the traditional Rush Limbaugh ornament.
    Andrew, Alee and Adam left around 1 am, but Rodney, Kelly and I visited for a while longer. We all went to bed about an hour later because Rodney and Kelly planned to get up early for their return to Lawrence.
    On the Second Day of Christmas Dorothy and Barney came over to eat left-overs: ribs, potato salad, baked beans, pasta salad and a nice red wine from Chile.
    On the Third Day of Christmas (actually Christmas Eve), Kelly and Rodney came by after bringing his mother back to St. Joseph. (She had stayed all night with them in Lawrence.) As part of my Christmas presents, Rodney replaced the hardware on my French doors. And he showed me how to use my new leaf blower.
    In the evening, I met Barney and Dorothy at the Christmas Eve gathering at our friend Melinda's home. Afterwards, we went to Barney and Dorothy's to open presents.
    On the Fourth Day of Christmas, Dec. 25, I went to Barney and Dorothy's for Christmas Day dinner. Dorothy prepared ham, a special green bean casserole and a macaroni and cheese dish based on the recipe Barney obtained during his Y-Fry class. After dinner, we relaxed in their new room and watched a movie on their BIG screen tv.

Christmas 2016

Holiday activities started Christmas Eve with church services, followed with a party with friends and then opening presents at Barney and Dorothy's.

Favorable weather and favorable work schedules allowed Kelly/Rodney and family to be here in St. Joseph the next evening, Dec. 25th.  Adam, Andrew, Alee and Kelly drove in first and snacked on  tortilla roll ups and Rotel cheese dip until Rodney arrived for the main course of "Triumph Food" ribs. No more sloppy joes for this group!

Water problems last spring caused the downstairs to be in disrepair, so Christmas activities (and decorations) were restricted to the upstairs area. However, since Adam, Andrew and Alee didn't stay all night, extra room wasn't necessary.

After dinner, we opened presents. Revealed among the flurry of wrapping paper and bows were household supplies, gift cards and a Rush Limbaugh ornament. But Best Present Ever from a Democrat Mother-in-Law who needed a Safe Space after the November election was my gift to Rodney, a "Make America Great Again" red hat.

Rodney got up early the next day and worked on the leaking toilet downstairs, which he fixed by examining the flushing mechanism and finding that it was working after all. After conversation over tea and coffee, Kelly and Rodney were off for more Christmas in Kansas.

Dorothy and Barney came over on the 26th for leftovers. No more sloppy joes for these two either!

The Merriest Christmas

     The new living room furniture was delivered and the kitchen remodel finished the first week in December, so I rushed to put up Christmas decorations as soon as I had a place for the tree. Since I didn't have much time, I limited the decorating to the living room, dining room table and one tree downstairs, not even unpacking all the Hallmark ornaments. Nevertheless, Christmas spirit quickly filled the house.
     On December 24th, I went to early church with Barney and Dorothy. Afterwards we went to a party and then came here to open presents.
     Scheduling worked out favorably for a December 25th celebration with Kelly, Rodney and Adam spending the night here after presents were opened. Since Andrew and Alee had to return to Lawrence in the evening, we started the party around 4 pm with snacks set up on the new kitchen counter. Adam arrived later after an arduous trip fighting auto troubles. Tortilla roll ups and Sloppy joes provided traditional tastes but Triumph ribs proved the most popular for the second year in a row and will be on the menu again next year.
     The next morning, Kelly and Rodney and I enjoyed coffee, tea and conversation in the kitchen. They left around 11:30 am. Adam slept until 3 pm.( He and I had stayed up until 3 am the night before.) Kelly commented that this had been one of the Merriest Christmases.

Well'mas

Plans to open presents on Dec. 25 changed on Christmas Eve day as the cold season lingered in Lawrence. The decision to delay was made shortly before noon when Kelly and I agreed to wait until all were feeling better and then we would celebrate Well'mas. Since I had frozen several food items earlier in the week and since Dorothy and Barney were coming over Christmas Day for left-overs anyway, a delay was not a disaster. Besides, we have always considered the celebration as being more important than the date.

So, a few days after New Year's, despite a weather forecast of sleet and snow threatening our plans, we were able to get together. After snacks, Sloppy Joes and Triumph ribs, we went downstairs to enjoy the renovations that had spanned over a year since the summer 2013 flooding.

Adam and Heather had to leave around 11:30 pm partly because of snow that was moving into the area but mostly because their dog Penelope was all alone in Lawrence. Then Rodney, who was still in the recovery phase of a cold, gave up on the festivities, taking an old towel and a jar of Vick's with him to bed. Not long after, the rest of us tucked in.

The next morning was sunny but cold. The snow forecast of several inches had not materialized so the return trip to Lawrence would not be difficult.