Hispanics usually celebrate Noche Buena, we open our gifts at 12am and on christmas day sleep in while the kids play with all their toys.

We spent Christmas Eve at my sister's house, we had dinner and then their friends showed up, we opened gifts and then drunken Guitar Hero world tour took place. That was super fun, I didn't play as I was too busy laughing at everyone else. I got a bunch of nice stuff including a new phone :)

We slept in today and my mom and sister are currently driving around looking for food cause we forgot there's no food at home :X I think my older sister and her husband will be coming over later. I know my Dad is passing by to pick up my siblings for dinner at his house. So yeah stuff and junk woo!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday with their families! Feel free to drop in the platroom a bit later I'll be in there sporadically today :)


hahaha mom and sister just got here WITH CHINESE FOOD! YUM! :D

Family just left.

It was a pretty good day, my mom was crazy and happy and totally not geek savvy so we had to show her how to work everything and I'm not sure she remembers now that she left. But that's ok. We're just a phone call away.

My dinner was a big hit. Somehow my homemade garlic bread disappeared even though I made enough for a small troop, yet I got a very small sliver. :) I have plenty of leftovers of my awesomeness lasagna (so I'm told) to send out leftover hunks to my friends who clamour over it.

We put a $ limit on gifts which actually worked out very well, because everyone had to think about something meaningful to give that didn't cost alot. All were happy!

Not sure how much the kids actually slept. I know I didn't. I woke up at 630 ish for the last time of waking through out the night. My kids were asleep, but I promise they were up half the night!

Christmas was ridiculously huge. The kids got all kinds of big items: razor scooters, big wheel, cd players, train table and set, the family got a Wii. We are messing around with it. I got 3 different kinds of smelly bath stuffs. Headphones, a schnazzy webcam, it goes on and on. We will go to my Mom's here very shortly for more pressies and a yummy ham dinner!

Happy Merry everybody!

just got home from my brothers, calvin, and his wife trisha and step son, christopher. also with us (as well as my parents and other borther leon) was trishas parents. my grandparents were meant to come but grandads been in hospital, came out yesterday but wasnt up to going.

we had alot of good food, and i had myself some posh whisky and lemonade. now m home, cider time, woO!

and i also got some rocking pressies! :p

My immediate family came over last night. This morning we opened presents and stockings, but it seems my kitten (plus accessories) was the bulk of my from-parents gifts. My brother forgot his gift for me at Home.
My family all seemed pleased with what I'd gotten them, especially the pillowcases I'd embroidered for my daddy (to go with the pillows he asked for).

Then we had Christmas "dinnner" for lunch. Ham and mashed potatoes and rolls and brussels sprouts.

Now I'm at work, and will be for my full eight hours. I think my family is mostly napping and playing with my kitten and xbox.

And I'm really really missing my boyfriend. I hope he's doing alright.

I swear I am not making this up.


I inadvertently started a Christmas tradition this year.


I was out shopping on the 24th. Yes, I know. Anyway I was at Costco and they have these big red nets of those itty bitty cheese wheels:




Except this one had like 20 cheese wheels in it. So I bought one on total impulse as I was leaving. Stuffed it in the back of the fridge until yesterday morning and then sneakily put a handful in everyone's stocking. Not even the wife knew I did this.

Well they were a hit at the house and while we were discussing the fact that no one admitted to buying them, I said "Santa brought them for us to remind us what God gave everyone on Christmas day"







Are you ready?






Wait for it.







Here it comes.


















The Baby Cheeses.





So now we have a new tradition for next year.

I had a great xmas...it was the best one I have ever had because of what I got.

What I got was released from jail two weeks early in custody of my mom so I could have xmas with my family. Props to the judge for being so cool about it.

Nothing huge, only a minor crime of stupidity and booze. I still have to deal with legal crap and restitution.

But I really can appreciate now what it means to have family. So, yea, good xmas overall.

Things have been good here. On Christmas Eve, we went to my uncle's for his annual Christmas party with my grandmother and my brother and his wife, and a few cousins. Then we went to midnight Mass. Christmas, we had some family over for dinner and whatnot, and did our annual tradition with Oplatky (though this year it was a bit more low-key and not as elaborate as we usually do). Today, we're going to another party with family, this time on my father's side.

Christmas has always been a big event for our family. I've always enjoyed it.

Your tree turned out really well, Maven. I made one in the VI but waited until late in the day, so the light was in the wrong spot. Thanks for the idea though, we had fun making it!

Our daughter came home and spent Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day with us. There's no present like the time, I loved having her here.

We went over a friend's house Christmas Eve. Their daughters play violin and serenaded us as we ate, drank and enjoyed each other's company.

Christmas morning, Husby went to church. I was up pretty early making dinner: Hoosker's pork roast (very yummy, thanks for the recipe!), pierogies, green beans, salad, povitica bread, and pumpkin pie. My aunt and our friend and former roommate Dave joined us for dinner. We opened gifts between dinner and dessert. My aunt really made out this year. :^)

After dinner Amelia and I took my aunt home (she lives about 40 minutes away) and then came back. Some of her friends came by, including one we hadn't seen for 10 years. He's not a boy anymore, he's a man... the transition amazed me even though it's to be expected. We caught up and I got his mom's new phone number before the kids all went to the movies.

Later I took a relaxing hot bath, read my new book in the living room, and thought about what to do today.

Hope you all had a great holiday.

I got this



and this



and a ski jacket

and a bunch of other stuff

http://www.manapotions.com/Chaingun.html

just sayin'.

Ha, that's pretty sick. A little too much effort though.

If I ever do something like that, I think I would put a different motor in.

But that ammo counter...I could put that on a real gun...The mind boggles with possibilities...

It was great.

All the kids together, a modest gift exchange, everyone got what they wanted.

Dinner at my brothers, my sister in law brined a turkey that was the best I ever had!

I made a ham and brought some other snacks.

We all made a trip to my parents one city over as my grandmother isn't doing too well since her surgery. She is out of the hospital, but had to go back in for 5 days for a few tranfusions. She is starting to deteriorate. I told my kids/brother that we HAD to make that trip.

Grandma wasn't in the mood to go anywhere, not even to see her daughter who also has cancer and is not doing well...it seemed like she was giving up.

So we all popped over there. It felt really good to have a full house, everyone laughing and eating and celebrating what will probably be my grandmas last Christmas. I just feel it.

Rather emotional. I never EVER heard my grandma talk of God, but she hugged me tight and said "God Bless you, Donna"

She hugged all the kids and grandkids tightly as they left. It all just looked and felt different, like perhaps it would be the last time. (my older kids are an hr away, so for them, it could be).

I just wanted her to be able to see us all and know that we love her. I think she needed that.

The planets aligned and we all were together and got everything done.

All in all, a great day. One of the best.

My hubbys family does this. I had to work on Xmas eve and I missed it. It is a really neat tradition!

First Christmas in out new house. It was weird, but great.
Parents came home from work Christmas Eve, and Christmas officially started. Our cousins called down, and everyone had a drink and some spiced beef. They left about half 10, and we rested for a while until Midnight mass. After mass, we had a feast of more drink and spiced beef, ham, mince pies and other goodies. Then bed about 3.

We were up at about 10 this year, I put the turkey in the oven, and then we all opened our presents together. Got dressed, then headed to our cousins house where more drink was consumed. Back home for one, when another bunch of cousins arrived. We had 12 overall for dinner. They exchange gifts with us, and we sat down to dinner a little late this year, 3 o'clock, as my parents had to go to a mass. One of their employees father died. :(

Dinner lasted ages, with 5 courses. Then everyone wandered to different rooms, to sleep or chat or watch TV. With fires lighting, and bellies full it's mostly sleeping. They left about 8, and another lot of relations arrived. More drink and food and my poor mum got sick! They left about ten, and we could finally chill. My brother, dad and I watched the Dark Knight, but my mum ended up going to bed, too much alcohol!

This is the usual plan our Christmas follows. I love it.

Today I had my second Christmas with my late partner, Peter's family. Today is the 5th anniversary of his passing. I went to his gravesite first, only to find that animals had lunched on a bouquet one of his daughters had left. So my bouquet is now dessert.

We had a wonderful meal of homemade pizza and fine red wine and shared stories. The grandchildren had a blast with their presents and "Little" Pete tried to blow stuff up with the science kit I gave him. Then, we mentioned mentos and coke. There will be stickiness outside at a later date.

Great to spend time with Peter's family. They consider me family too. It was a really nice, albeit, long day.

Can't wait to go back to do arts and crafts with the kids.

I caught some sort of nasty bug for christmas. This was a blessing really, because I didn't have to miss any work (and thus pay) while I recovered for two days. Sucked that I didn't get to do anything but be miserable with the family, though.

My grandmother broke her leg, pretty nasty with bones poking out and blood all over the floor. Thank god for morphine!
Other than that it was very good, I met my cousin who's norwegian and like 3 years old!

I went with a bunch of my friends skiing this Christmas vacation. We had a blast.