Christmas is always a busy time at our house. When I didn't work outside the home it was busy...so for working full time, it's been 19 hour days and short nights! It's all for a great cause, as Christmas is pretty important to our kids. Ryan is at the age where he doesn't like to admit it, but he loves it deep down. I had more 'Lets get this done' comments this year...yet he was right in the thick of it!! Kristin has the same love for decorating that I do...and she did much of it herself this year. We did lots together, but she got the boxes out, and sorted through them....and we both agreed, it's like Christmas decorating, as we reminisce and marvel over the favorite decorations. We decorated over several nights and weekends. Kristin even decorated herself with the tree skirt and the poor dog!
Teh following weekend we picked up our tree. We always seem to get a great tree at the Teen Challenge lot...and it's a great cause. Ryan's best friend Hunter spent the weekend, and helped us put up the tree. Nothing like two tall teenage boys to do a great job on the top of the tree! It was a fun weekend and we enjoyed the decorating.
The following week Kristin & I made some of our Christmas gifts and got them in the mail. We got our cards and letters finished and in the mail as well. It was a great family event as we stuffed, folded, addressed and stamped as a family. What a help that was. Why didn't I suggest this many years ago??!! On Friday, I took a half a day of vacation, and we headed over to pick up Charlie. The day was beautiful and we made it over the pass and back with no events.Christmas Eve we were blessed with a beautiful day, starting with an awesome sunrise.
It was a relaxed day, preparing some of the food for the following day. With Bill & Kristin unable to eat any sugar or sugar substitutes, and Bill unable to have any wheat, it's a challenge. I challenge you to find 2 cans or boxes of anything in your cupboard that does not have sugar, fructose, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, or any of those other sugar substitutes. Even Kidney beans and sour cream have sugar in them! At any rate, we made a pumpkin dessert with whipped cream and spices. Kristin is allowed Stevia and Bill is allowed in very small amounts. We made a rice flour crust, and they both loved it. We also made our own mayonnaise for seven layer salad. It's not quite the same, but Bill & Kristin were thrilled to have some regular food with us for dinner. All of this went into the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. We headed off to church after a very late lunch. It was a light crowd, and a wonderful service. We had dinner after we got home, eating late, and finishing well after 9:30. We did some finishing touches to Christmas dinner, and got the turkey on the smoker around 11.
Headed to bed around 11:30 and relaxed until after 12, knowing I needed to get to bed, since I had a daughter that was very excited, and I knew would be up early. We told her 7...however, her brother, who mind you is not excited about Christmas at all, came to me and said "Mom, she doesn't have too many more years to be this excited...you should let her get up whenever she wakes up"....hmmmm....wonder who really is excited??!! Needless to say, it was her brother who woke her at 6:45, and she came running into our room. We told her to wake Charlie...and off she ran, with a warning from her brother saying "Last time I tried to wake him, he chucked a pillow at me"...a chance she was willing to take, and off she went! When we came down, we found Charlie in the fetal position on the couch, not complaining, but not speaking either. Some coffee administered in IV fashion got him moving. (Just kidding of course). We made a quick check to the turkey that had smoked all night, and got to the gifts!
As they all opened stockings, and got ready for gifts...welooked out, and God blessed us with another beautiful sunrise.
Although it was a small Christmas for us, it seemed the lack of gifts and the "spendy" items didn't matter. We enjoyed each other, the thrill of thought that went into the gifts, and instead of unwrapping with no thought, it was a relaxed, wonderful morning. Kristin made me a beautiful apron, as well as a beautiful few sets of earrings, and two beautiful bracelets. Bill got a great transformer from the kids, Charlie got a new bible, Ryan two new hats and guitar strings, Kristin an awesome pink sweatshirt with a blingy keychain, and everyone felt blessed.
The kids got a multi game board from my folks....and both kids were so stoked when they found a crokinole board on the back--a game they learned in Canada and still love to this day.
We had a great breakfast of biscuits and gravy, and then a nap was in order! Dinner wasn't far behind the nap, and the fare was awesome! Of course we had turkey,smoked to perfection No traditional ham because we have been unable to find any ham without sugar cure. We had seven layer salad and Cream Cheese/Sour cream (all natural of course)Garlic potatoes topped off our dinner.
First smoked turkey ever, and it was wonderful!!
This evening has been a lazy one. Some WII with Charlie made the kids thrilled. They have enjoyed having him home.
No one has gotten dressed today....hair has not been brushed..another slippers & coffee kind of day. Thank you Lord, for the gift of your son. For your blessings and for our wonderful family that has blessed us with a wonderful Christmas. You know who you are, and how much you helped. Love you all. Enjoy all the pictures below.