Christmas Festivities

Christmas Eve was when we were all able to get together and have our big dinner, look at old family videos, re-enact the nativity scene and open presents. We put two tables together and sat 12 of us. Michael had to work but came just in time to do the traditional nativity reenactment and open presents. We had a real baby Jesus for the first time played by Carson and his mother Lachelle played Mary and Danny was Joseph. Rick was the narrator my mom and I played our violins while everyone sang Christmas songs and listen to the Christmas story. I had prepared a big Christmas dinner of turkey and prime rib, mash potatoes, north dakota butterhorn rolls, 12 layer christmas jello that took 6 hours to assemble, green beans, green salad, artichoke spinach dip and green tomatilla salsa. And for dessert a baked Alaska. I did most of my cooking the day ahead and could just relax with my parents by the fire before everyone came over. We so enjoyed having Ivette's mother and brother who were down from Canada visiting. The boys had a rousing game of ping pong while we enjoyed old family videos. Which reminds me to get them converted onto dvd's. (I heard you could get them done at Costco for $10.00 ea.) It was fun playing a duet with my mom on the violin. I think we should practise every Sunday because I was really squeaky. The nativity scene this year was a little better than last, just because we had more people and better costume's and I had zeroxed off the music. It was fun to open presents except for the pellet gun shooting incident which I won't go into. (With boys there's always some excitement.) Christmas day we opened more presents, just Rick, Kenzie and I and then had a really good chat with Derek from London. He sounded really good and bore his testimony in the end and told how much he appreciated us. It was the best Christmas presents we could have wished for. Then family kept popping in and we just relaxed and played some games and just enjoyed each other. Kenzie said it was the best Christmas she's ever had so all the work and preparation was worth it. We even caught a movie "Marley and Me" which was a tear jerker of a movie. Hoping all my family and friends are doing well and hoping you have a wonderful holiday.