Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Christmas 2006





Christmas started early for us this year. Because my parents went to Cincinnati to be with my brother and his family, we had "Christmas Morning" with them on Dec 23. We went over to their house in the morning to open presents and have our traditional Christmas brunch. It was a really good day there. Of course, my mom and sister went way overboard and totally spoiled my kids, but they loved it. Gracelin got a Barbie house, Barbie car, and lots of Barbies to go with it all. She was in heaven. Bryn mostly enjoyed eating the presents and wrapping paper, but she had a really good day as well. After brunch though, my dad started a fire in the wood-burning stove, and I must have been allergic to something he burned. Everyone left to go sledding, except for Bryn and I, and I had the worst asthma attack I've had in years while I was home alone. I actually started getting scared because my inhaler wasn't working. In fact, we ended up leaving early so I didn't die.



We weren't able to go home though. The 23rd is my MIL's birthday, so we headed over to her house for her party. I cooked my contribution - broccoli-cheese soup - while I struggled for breath. I'd let myself get so bad with my asthma, that I couldn't even get a breath. We finally just left her house early to go home, where I took 2 breathing treatments, my steriod inhaler, 2 Benedryl, and 4 Motrin (for the inflamation). Luckily that calmed things down enough that I didn't die, but it was scary.



Sunday (Christmas Eve) was a fairly quiet day. We dressed the girls in their pretty Christmas dresses and went to church. Afterwards, I made some corn chowder and we had my sister and her hubby over for dinner. It was a nice quiet nite. The girls got new PJs to wear to bed. We read the Christmas Story and put them to bed. Poor Gracelin was so excited for Santa that she had a difficult time falling asleep. My sister and brother-in-law stayed to watch a movie. Then, we put out presents and went to bed.

On Christmas Day, Gracelin woke up at 4:45 and couldn't go back to sleep. She told me that it was time to wake up because Santa came. Since it was still very dark outside, I tried telling her that she needed to go back to sleep because Santa hadn't already come. But she was too smart for that. Ben let me go back to sleep for about an hour while he and Gracelin watched a movie. Finally, we woke Bryn up so we could open presents. It was a fun to have a nice, quiet morning with just our little family. Bryn again was just content to eat her presents. Gracelin got more Barbies. We got Daddy a golf travel bag and a new watch. Mommy got Shopping Barbie, complete with over $300 in gift certificates to her favorite places. I was so excited to get online yesterday to American Eagle and find a Christmas Day only sale - complete with 15% off my entire order (after the almost 50% off most items) and free shipping. After presents, we had buckwheat pancakes with fresh blueberries, and then let the girls play for awhile. Then, everyone expect mommy got a long nap. I spent my time in the kitchen preparing my famous corn pudding for our Christmas Dinner feast.

After naps, we left for Ben's parents' house for Christmas Dinner and more presents. Grace and Bryn got a tent, which they are very excited to set up today, and Ben's Dad got us 10 shares of Disney stock! I'm very excited for that. We don't own any stock (other than the mutual funds I invest in through work) and I'm really excited to learn how to buy and sell stocks. Dinner was fantastic, and once again I ate way too much (another common theme).

Finally, we headed home for some much-neeeded sleep. Both girls slept all night, which means I'm actually somewhat rested. Which is a really good thing considering the fact that I'm back at work today. :( I guess someone has to be here. Its a shame too, because its so slow here. I wish I was back in bed.

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