Sunday(Christmas Day)

Wow what a day of family, friends and eating. It was nearly 70 when we awakened to start the day so the a/c went back on and is still as I write this post on Monday morning. It got down right HOT on Christmas Day but we did have bright sunshine and blue skies. After our quiet times and a cup of hot green tea we got ready for a day of family, friends and rich food eating, my but was it ever dewisheous. We pretty much had prepared everything ahead of time so it much just heating and of course getting the biscuits baked.

I hand watered outside fighting the mosquitoes as they have showed up with the heat as well. I picked beans from my patch and did a little garden work while waiting for son Bobby and his family to arrive at 10 and then Carol and Dan arrived also with their pan of cheese blintzes. Bobby brought a skillet of sausage gravy and of course it was gourmet style which we could have eaten as the main dish, but we had the ham and cheese egg casserole, fried 'taters, fruit salad(I made this), biscuits and juice. Wow we almost had to roll away from the table as we were hungry because of the lateness in eating so naturally we or I over ate.

After the cleanup Dan and Carole headed out as they had to make the rounds of visiting their family so we opened presents with Bobby, Jill, Annsley and Gabe. The kids were so much fun watching them rip the paper and Annsley distributed the presents as she could read the tags. She is so dang smart(like her grand dad) and was so cute as each gift she opened she exclaimed her famous words "I've always wanted that". Gabe loved his big truck and just cuddled his puppy dog toy. He was so cute and the two of them were cute together for a change. Bobby and Jill gave us a gift certificate for the Acropolis Restaurant in Ybor City and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir. We were thrilled at the presents Aunt Josie sent(even though we agreed not to exchange presents now that we have so many grand babies to buy for) and hopefully she will allow us to bless her with a nice visit to the cabin this summer.


We were thrilled at how the breakfast turned out and of course I didn't eat anything until around 6 PM when we made a rib roast for supper and had the Botbyl's. That meal was another creation in an of it's self as I harvested fresh Swiss Chard from the garden as well and a ton of greens for a superb fresh garden salad. We had a 7 pound rare rib roast(Carole bought) and smashed spuds(Carole made the spuds) and Nancy prepared fresh carrots, gravy and rolls, as well. It was another dewisheous set down and roll away from the table meal. Two meals like that in one day and we will be big as a house; Nancy said tomorrow its back to oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch and stick soup for supper but I told Nancy what about the leftovers??? Anyhow thankfully the rec re-opens on Tuesday.

After the clean up from supper we played a double 12 game of "chicken foot domino's until nearly 10:00 PM. Dan cleaned up with a big win,(I was dead last) AGAIN. He won Saturday night as well, at least the boys WIN for those of you who keep score of which of the sexes wins!!! It was a fun day as we celebrated with family and friends and we remembered the reason why we gathered together to celebrate the day of the birth of our LORD.

I was able to get through to my dad at sister Dee's house in Virginia where she too was having a rib roast for supper and was unable to speak with the other two sisters, Josie in West Virginia and sister Pat in Pennsylvania as they were out with their families and away from their phones. Nancy spoke briefly with daughter Amy in Kansas and then her folks in Michigan but the celebration level of noise was so high there with all of their family present(20 plus folks)it was a short call. Sounds like ALL were having a grand time together.

Well we are looking forward to a NEW YEAR and all the excitement that goes with it. Nancy and I are so blessed with unbelievable super kids and grand kids. We wish ALL great health and blessings, LATER