Merry Christmas. Ho Ho Ho!!!

Oh what a busy time of year but I LOVE Christmas. Even though we all hustle and bustle around for weeks to get everything just perfect and then it is over in a flash, I LOVE Christmas!

Well, we finally have a kitchen again. After 3 plus years, we have cupboards! Woo Hoo! And they are beautiful. Shawn has been busy busy getting them installed and he also got the floor in too. He finished about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, which was good because we were expecting company at six. Ha ha! We still need a pantry door, which is on order but were told 6 to 8 weeks for delivery, and then just a few minor details to finish up but all in all, it is wonderful. It looks so good you hardly notice the 2 big pieces of exercise equipment standing in the corner. Ha! We even had 26 people in my new kitchen last night, and think we could have squeezed in a few more.

We hosted Christmas Eve and had our families and some good friends over. We also did a Chinese gift exchange but only everyone was supposed to bring the ugliest thing they had in their house, adults and kids both. Well, there were some pretty ugly gifts, I must say. Jayci ended up with a bouquet of used toothbrushes (which turned out really good for me because I forgot to purchase some for their stockings), and poor Braden got a baggie full of some kind of flaked salmon. It took us awhile to figure out exactly what it was at first. Some thought cookie dough and some thought dog food, but then Brad piped up and said "Nope, it's salmon." I wonder who brought that??? Oh, and little Jael, well she opens up a gift and finds a little make up bag and as I'm standing over her watching this, I see 2 little packages with it. I'm looking at these 2 little square packages and I'm thinking I know what they look like but yet I'm thinking it just can't be, but then Jael's mother runs over and scoops up the 2 little packages so I know it was exactly what I was thinking. Let's just say, they weren't balloons. OMG!!! And who would do that??? Andrea, are you missing a make up bag by chance??? There was also a melted candle that was very deformed and apparently didn't smell so good either, there were a couple real nice hats, a tea pot, which by the way my husband was VERY excited to get that. Brad thought we were joking about it but when we said that Shawn loves his tea and drinks it every night, Brad said "That's good to know because now I can buy you a purse". LOL! I got a real nice pair of red earrings, like probably 70's style, and think they are going to fit real nice in Mom's stocking. I was kind of surprised at all the stealing that was taking place tho. I think it was because when something half decent was opened up, people thought they should jump at it rather than take their chances on something else. We had a vote at the end for the ugliest present and the prize went to my Dad, who brought a rubber chicken. It wasn't your normal rubber chicken tho. This one was gray and really, it looked like it had been killed twice. Too funny. Oh, and some people even thought that they could just leave their presents here rather than take them home. I caught my sister in my bathroom trying to leave the deformed candle and I found a set of salt and pepper shakers hiding behind the plant on my table. There will be an extra little present under the tree for Andrea!!! Who do they think they are dealing with anyways!!! It was just some real good 'stupid fun'. I love it!!!

We are off to my rents' today for some turkey dinner and then we will go to Shawn's rents' tomorrow for ham and cabbage rolls. Yum yum!!! I have a couple salads yet to make but other than that, think everything else is ready. All the presents are finally wrapped, as of 1:00 this morning. Stockings are hung and just waiting for the kids to get out of bed. A few years ago they would have had us up hours ago and we would already be done opening. That's OK cause this gives me time to blog.

I few years ago my lil bro made me a CD of some of my favorite Christmas music and imagine my surprise when I went looking for it and actually found it. I love listening to it and this is part of one of my all time favorites;

Long time ago, in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible says
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day
Hark now hear, the angels sing
A King was born today
And man will live forever more
Because of Christmas Day

All the bells rang out
Tears of joy and laughter
People shouted 'let everyone know'
There is Hope for all to find Peace

We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas. Peace!!

Love Starla, Shawn, Cassi, Jayci, Tye and Gizzy