Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve...

When the kids were young, Dee worked...had to put in 6 am to noon hours, and he was exhausted. He would come home, we would finish last minute things, then get the kids ready, pile in the van and head out to East Mesa and Nano's house. We would have dinner, gifts, load up, come back home, hurry in, leaving the gifts in the van (though they would always sneak one or two in), pajamas on, Luke Chapter 2 read, cookies and milk placed on fireplace hearth, read "Twas The Night Before Christmas", hurry them off to bed...wait hours until they were asleep, which usually meant Dee was sound asleep. As there was not much on tv then, I would turn on Christmas Mass from Rome (mind you, I am and was LDS) and do the things moms do on Christmas Eve... It was always a day of lots of busy...lots of running and hurrying and being really tired.

As the kids grew up and left home, it quieted down. No more rushing to Nano's East Mesa home...she lives closer. Sadly, Santa gets no cookies, no milk, and we read no stories...The Christmas before Nathan left, we even opened gifts after midnight together. Not conventional...but sure a lot of fun! We didn't open them all...just the "one" gift we thought would be the best surprise.

This year, we found out that our missionary phone call would come on Christmas Eve...his Christmas morning. We tried to get as many as could be here...kids still had to work. The phone call ended up being crazy...people getting ready for Nano's house, Kayty on her cell phone on her way home from work, the speaker phone not doing well, and...well, we talked...and we will see him soon, so it was ok. No Skype pics like others have; his area had no one that offered to do that.

Then off to Nano's house. Dinner was late starting, because we were late arriving, but all enjoyed Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Ed's Beans (I will post the recipe for Allison, et al. Nate is the only one in possession of the recipe, but it's framed and on the shelf, so I can just look at it...right?), Nano's cornbread dressing, salad, and I don't even remember all the other things, but I was stuffed. After dinner, we shared gifts. This year, we didn't have time for games. Usually, we play Bingo with M&M markers, and Pictionary.

 What would any photo taking event be without finding some trick that my sons have played with my camera when I set it down?

Then, we went home. No cookies for Santa. No story. I did find the Pope offering Mass from Rome, and I did what Mom's do...

Happy Christmas to all...and to all a goodnight!