Merry Christmas!

For our family the day has finally arrived. We've always opened presents on Christmas Eve. Not just one present, but all of them. Oh sure, Santa brings a few left overs the next day but in general the big show is tonight. C and T are so excited. I am too. I have a new pair of glasses under the tree that I've tried out two times before they went under the tree. Then there is the shampoo and conditioner that I wrapped for myself too. Santa use to always forget to bring me something, so he finally got smart and wrapped a little something up for me. One package for C never did arrive on time so I'm closed up in the office trying to find a picture of the present that has yet to arrive. C knows it's not here and seems to be taking it pretty well. We'll see if those Ipod touches I bought will take the sting off of the missing present.

To kill time today, we went and saw the movie, "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Not a bad movie. I had no preconceived expectations so therefore I left the movie feeling fulfilled. I'm sure that during the break, we will take in a ton of movies and eat our fair share of theater popcorn, my favorite.

We've made our usual plans for New Year's with our friends and look forward to our annual traditions. I know change is good, but I sure love to sit back and enjoy all the familiar feeling of holidays gone by and I love to think back at all the good times we've had. I'm pretty lucky!

Here's the pictures from the other day that I couldn't get to load.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Counting Down the Days

The boys are just itchin' to have Christmas come. While we wrapped presents today they grilled me about the who, what ,where and when for their gifts. Big T and I have told them every crazy thing in the book. We've convinced them that we bought all their presents back in August, and we also told them that we haven't even started shopping. It was lots of fun to put one of B's presents in a box and wrap it right in front of him. C is the worst, at 13 he's still no different than when he was five year old. Little T thinks he knows everything and tries to convince his brothers that he does.

The boys Christmas concerts were great! His dad, brothers and grandma and grandpa were able to attend. B had his the same night that I had mine at my school so I didn't get to go, but I always think he looks so handsome in his tux. The first time my dad saw him in his tux, he got a little teary eyed at the sight of such a grown up man standing in front of him.

The picture of little T at his concert is a little grainy and I apologize, but it such a great picture of him concentrating, being ready and giving it his all. He was such a joy to watch and as always his music teacher put on a spectacular show.

Little T and I always make a gingerbread house each year. This year he hardly needed help from me, and probably could have finished the project himself.

C is suffering from a bad right arm. He has "Wii arm!" This is when you play the Wii too much, too long with too much vigor. This IS actually painful and not very funny. I know, I boxed the other night and my right arm was killing me the next day. C is a "pro" tennis player so I'm sure he'll need surgery for his tennis elbow soon. Little T played so hard that he hit his knee with the controller and left a mark that is a perfect square from the control. That's some serious playing!