Best Christmas

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-10-2008
Best Christmas
3
Fri, 12-26-2008 - 6:11pm

As DH & DS are now on good terms, the family gathering at DSs house was especially sweet to me. Plus, DGrS made it home through the Winter mess in Chicago and is looking good. He brought a lady friend with 2 young girls - it's looking serious. The Army will spring him near the end of Feb.

Guess I was a good girl this year, because Santa (DH) brought me 2 new music boxes. Both are like Faberge eggs that open up. One is the Nutcracker, the other is Clara and both play music from Nutcracker Suite. They are beautifully decorated. We haven't exchanged gifts in a few years, just got out of the habit. Santa gave DH chocolate bullets in ammo cans - LOL.

The DGrDs (6 & 8) had such a good time playing with the DGrGrDs (5 & 1). I gave the girls the bed pillows with fleece covers. Later in the evening the girls took the pillows to the living room, got throws from the sofa and asked for a movie to watch - a regular slumber party for a while. We gave donations to the local food bank in honor of each DS, then gave a book and plate of cookies as a token gift. One special gift is from DGrDs - an Amaryllis plant. DDIL always gave one to her late DGrM, so now the girls give one to each DGrM. Mine had begun to sprout, so I planted it today.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I paid for all the rich foods with indigestion overnight, but doing better now. All I wanted for lunch was a can of chicken soup! I did make my usual Friday run to the grocery store for odds & ends. Other than combining all the cookies into one container, I haven't made a dent in the rest of the mess. Hey, I'm retired - no need to overwork myself - LOL. It's amazing how tiring all this prep has been. Making all those gift & food decisions just wore out my poor old brain.

Only cloud on the day was that DDIL's DF has been very ill. He's had some setbacks from kidney shunt surgery and she fears this may have been his last Christmas. The man has been so careful keeping his weight down, growing his food, walking miles each day and then this just lays him low. I'm hoping it's just that he's 70 now and needs a little more time to heal. His DW is still working full-time, but they have an unemployed male nurse in the family who is taking care of him.

The weather is warmer, but the ice on the drive is so thick that DH spent most of the day chopping it into chunks so the rain can wash it away.

Must run and start supper - something simple like spaghetti made with turkey Italian sausage I bought today.

Jacquie

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-19-2003
In reply to: jaybee458
Sat, 12-27-2008 - 8:26am

isnt that wonderful when families can overcome issues to become a family again,sure makes the holidaze more memorable! i saw on the news how bad the interstate was yesterday with all the ice and cars that were involved in accidents. we have had our share here also the previous days before xmas. now its 51 and raining cats and dogs outside,and all the snow is becoming ponded water. its a mess out there. im trying to picture what the sun looked like. LOL...im roasting a turkey breast this morning and making spinach risotto to go with it. i made a quiche yesterday with leftover ham mushrooms and various vegies..boy that was good!! i just finished the last piece!! have a good wknd jacquie...mindy

    

                      

Avatar for daggs170
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: jaybee458
Sun, 12-28-2008 - 4:24pm

It is so nice to read that this was one of your best Christmas's ever, so good that family is on good terms and can get along and enjoy each others company.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-10-2008
In reply to: jaybee458
Sun, 12-28-2008 - 5:16pm

His bad kidney is working overtime flushing out all the meds he needs post-surgery. The poor man also had blood clots in an arm when they took out the IVs and the worry is that the meds are not dissolving them and the clots may travel. From my DBs bad experience with liver failure and this fellows kidney problems, I'm sure hoping I don't ever travel that route.

Jacquie