Went to my sisters for Christmas Eve.

Started a crock pot recipe for dinner.

Took the boys to Star Wars while the rest took a nap.

Dinner was good and nobody had to decide or cook.

Did a Christmas Eve reading, Luke 2.

Took a shower and watched a movie Christmas Bounty on my new computer.

Went to bed on the floor in a little girls room and by 2:30am the 3 yr old was sleeping in bed with me.

A hand in the face here, a kick in the back there, needless to say she had the bed and pillow to herself by 6am.

Got up at a reasonable hour about 6 or 6:30am and watched them open presents.

Opened the arcade basketball thing I got them last, which was good, because that thing needed to be set up asap according to the 11 yr old.

My sister started breakfast, her infamous breakfast casserole.

She told me how to finish making it and handed me a tired baby and said she was gonna take a shower while the boys set up the basketball arcade.

I put the baby Paul to sleep and finished making breakfast.

Ate breakfast and packed up to go over the canyon to the parents house for more opening of presents with more nieces and nephews.

There I opened my presents from my bro and sis-in-law that went to LA.

A shirt - that my sis-in-law would wear

A necklace - my sis-in-law would wear

Well, maybe not in the colors she got me. Both ginormous though.

I find it fascinating how ppl choose presents for others. There's a whole analysis that can be gone on such a project. I don't quite understand the ones that buy gifts -they- would like and not necessarily the person they are buying it for. Because you like it doesn't mean someone else will. That might be okay for someone you dont know very well. But someone you know, and should prolly know if you like the same stuff or not, why buy them something you like? Anyways... We all have different personalities....for a reason. We dont all like the same things.

And she got me the one thing I managed to tell her aloud "Tangled" movie.

When you say things you want on the fly be careful what you say, cuz it might be the only thing that stuck out in someone elses mind.

Nevermind the huge list I gave them. "We'll buy her the one thing I heard her say and then some things I think she should wear.....cuz she needs a wardrobe change...and it needs to be more like mine."

But really, I appreciate the thought and effort. I'm surprised they got me that much honestly.

Mom or Santa, I get confused which, got me a brownie mix and pan to make oooey gooey brownies with, some pink leopard print gloves, a bungee chair, and a pink block quote "Be Still and Know that I am God."

Grandma got me a crock pot, zebra print. Renee got me a huge scarf, red and orange, not my usual color/pick but I like it. Not sure what's up with the animal prints, zebra, leopard, cheetah, whatev, not really my thing, but these are coming from older folks like Mom and Gma...

Min got me crock pot recipes and some freeze dried treats.

Dust stopped by with his family for a whirlwind of an hour or so, ate breakfast and left. They opened pressies that Mins fam gave them, Mins fam opened pressies I gave them. And we all opened pressies from Gma and Gpa.

I think Brax liked the Dr. Who stuff I gave him. He wouldn't let it go most of the time there, but then again it was prolly the only pressies he had at that house (he left his other stuff at home). Cole had opened and started playing with the Star Wars figure I had bought before I noticed he opened it. I wondered if those action figure things were cool for 7 year olds still. Maylee just had so much and moved on so fast I'm not sure she knew what she got.

Mom had only a couple of hours of sleep since her work shift, but I made her stay up until 3pm. Then Mins family went over to the in-laws, we all took a nap, and then went to dinner at Dustin's and then a nice quiet evening at home.

Saturday, the 26th we got up and headed over the mountain to Gpas house. There we learned just how far gone his memory is while his wife who isn't mobile and can't communicate very well is the one with the good memory, but can't communicate this very well to her husband. Gma glared a lot at my mom. Gma thinks she's invading. But Gma seemed to like me pretty well. We cooked for them, after Gpa forgot he started cooking...We went to 'town' and shopped for them. They eat like birds, if they remember to eat. Its only a matter of time when Gpa is going to forget his wife is even there, let alone remember who she is and know he's her primary caregiver.

I'm pritti sure my Christmas card from Gpa says its from "Uncle Ray". Oh dear.

Then Mom and I went after-Christmas shopping...yay clearance sales.

The next day I went to church, took a nap, watched some TV with Dad, and then some with Mom and drove home. I didn't spend all weekend on the couch this year simply cuz Mom didnt work all weekend.

By Sunday night my allergies and sinus pain kicked in. I was surprised it took that long to hurt me. But by Monday night I was pritti sure I had a cold, not just allergeries with that valley and the inversion.

So here I am Wednesday with a full blown cold, sitting at work, cuz thas what we do when we are sick, we come into the office to spread our joy/germs. This sickness finally caught up with me. I dodged it a couple weeks ago. But it usually gets me in Dec or Jan. Hopefully it wont be as long as normal.

But I only have to work a half day morrow, New Years Eve, and then I disappear to my cave/room and I refuse to come out until I can breathe. Hopefully that will be by Monday next year. So much for any New Years plans, I can't even taste good food very well anymore with a plugged nose.