We're back!

And had a fine Christmas, let me tell you!!! The weather, last week, was all snowy and had the potential to produce a Christmas like I remember-banks of white snow, a feeling of cocooning inside your house- the Christmas lights burning through the mask of white- but no, rain followed by wind yielded dirty snow banks and that decidedly spring-like look. Then, a surprise snowstorm changed it all- nice clean white snow again! We spent Christmas Eve wrapping presents -this year, Annie got in on the wrapping- and while I stayed in the bedroom and wrapped the ones she couldn't see, she was a real little trooper and wrapped and tagged and worked really hard. When it was all over, we put the presents under the tree and stuffed all the stockings. I noticed she was looking at the piles pretty intensely, so I asked what was up. She said that she had looked through them all, and that she didn't know if Santa was going to come. Hmmm, I thought. 9 years old and right on the cusp of "Should I believe or not?"I asked if she wanted to put out the cookies and milk for Santa, and she thought that she would. But with reluctance. But all was right in her world on Christmas morning!!!!! She ran out (at 5:15 a.m., by the way) and saw the gifts under the tree. She got a sad little look- said that "Santa hadn't left her anything, just you guys" when she backed right into her new piano! (well, clavinova, in reality) with a big tag on it saying "To Annie, love Santa, Thanks for the treats". Later, she said that she knew Santa wouldn't let her down- since she was aware a clavinova was very expensive, and that we couldn't afford one, but that Santa made her one of her very own. So, one more year of "still believin'~!


I was rather spoiled- my husband's big gift to me was a brand new
Nikon CoolPix!!!!! It takes loads of pictures, even movies! And it is tiny, easy to use, and he says it is for my blog. Cool, eh? And as soon as I figure out how to get the pictures out of it, well, you will be the first to know! (yeah, I am a bit slow on technology)
The biggest surprise was from my in laws- after I had unwrapped all the presents (they tend to give "family type" things- works for me), my mother in law said hold on, I have to get one more thing- and out comes an embroidered leather jacket for me! Holy cow! I was really surprised!
Suffice it to say, I had a great day. And also because I was very pleased with what I gave to others (you know how you sometimes feel like you didn't quite pick the right thing sometimes? Well, none of that this time)
We had roast beef with the in laws yesterday, turkey with mom and my sister on Christmas Day (Mom had come here for Christmas breakfast) and we are off to my brother-in-law's tomorrow-if the weather holds.
All the best-