Christmas One Last Time...

Our last Christmas celebration of the season with Mom, Rex, Jill, Gary, and the kids was FUN! First we GRUBBED (no exaggeration there!) on mastacholli (I'm sure that ISN'T how you spell it!) and lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. Then we feasted on desserts, including the two I made and Lofthouse cookies that the kids LOVED. Then we exchanged gifts. Mom and Rex got the younger kids Tinker Toys which turned out to be the hit of the evening, and the COOLEST large coloring books...like 2-1/2 feet high! They got Cory and Brad handheld Pokemon games which promptly sent them to the party store for batteries! They had gifts for each of us kids, but my favorite were loaves of freshly baked bread! I'm planning on running to the store today for REAL butter to slather on it. Lord I'll be glad to go back to work so I stop shoveling food in my mouth! I haven't gained any weight back yet, but I feel sluggish! Kyle and I are both planning to drop about 20 pounds after the first of the year, which wow, is TOMORROW!

Please note in the photo below that Maria is NAKED in the throes of her SUGAR BUZZ :)

We are going up to Jill and Gary's tonight to celebrate the ringing in of 2006! We have a menu of snack items planned, and the kids will all get to play and stay up late. Of course, us old people are going to need naps!

Kyle and I watched Cinderella Man last night after everyone left. Wow, it is the best movie I have seen in a long time. I loved it. It definitely makes you thankful for the jobs, house, cars, etc. I can not even imagine living without some of our silly creature comforts. Life may throw us twists and turns, but all in all...we've got it GOOD! And one final note...Susan, it wasn't the same without you and your family. We missed you!

P.S. Jill, now I have the double chin!!!