Health care is a basic human right, not a privilege. For some reason, we’ve allowed ourselves as Americans to be fooled into accepting that one must be blessed with “means” to actuate appropriate health care. As a nation we have failed to realize that our health care system is a barometer of our society’s value for human life.

-Me

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Our Christmas....In Pictures

Ah yes, Our Christmas....

We spent our Christmas at my dad's house, some five hours north of St. Cloud. It was a nice visit, and it was tiring......As visiting relatives so often is! My family is so interesting, so I will share a bit. My dad is 54 and after my mom and he divorced when I was seventeen he remarried. Not right away but a few years later after he found a beautiful young and small woman he deemed wonderful enough to love the rest of his life. And then, they had two kids. AACCCKKK!

So long story short, I am 28 and I have a 7 year old little sister, and a five year old little brother. They are awesome, and when I bring my six year old son and three year old daughter, they are all peas in a pod. They don't quite understand the aunt-uncle-niece-nephew fun that is the four of them, but they certainly enjoy the family that they are!

We opened Christmas outfits on Christmas Eve, just in time for Christmas Eve service. Here is Gracie in hers.....And I really like the shadow look in this picture, so you can't really see the outfit...


After getting dressed up, of course...The boys had to get in a little wrasslin'



We took the option of opening all the presents on Christmas Eve at night. At my house, we would do things a little differently. We open one present on Christmas Eve and then all the rest on Christmas. At my dad's they open them all on the Eve and have a present from Santa in the morning. This was an interesting deal seeing as how neither of my kids believe on Santa (thanks to me....) Here's a picture of Gracie enjoying the company of Grandpa while we waited to open presents (such a sweet pair!)



This is a great image of the mania that ensued....



This is a great image of how all of us felt AFTER IT WAS ALL DONE....



On Christmas morning we all woke up to stuffed stockings (that is except for me, as Bob neglected to factor in that he was the one in fact that should fill MY stocking...) We had an awesome Christmas dinner thanks to nanny Karen, then packed our bags to head the five hour jaunt home. So we could do it ALL OVER AGAIN. I insisted on putting everything away once we got home, and the kids were CHAOS. It was hilarious, really....Honest....



Bob bought some awesome gifts for the kids, and so did his mom. Bob's mom even bought me some CLOTHES. I WOULD be a clothes horse if I ever had any money to buy myself clothes, so it was so nice to have some presents to open up. Bob had already opened up his presents from his mum, so he just had the cymbal I bought him. Which he opened last. And he loved....



Later that night, we set up shop to sleep the night, Bob and I in my bed, and the kids each zipped up securely in their tents. It was awesome.



I must say that this year has been fabulous and really stinkin hard all in the same breath. But you know what? Those fabulous parts make all that stinky crap just so worth it.

Merry Stinkin' Christmas!

7 comments:

Scott K. Johnson said...

Looks like a great time all around!

The kids had a blast - I can just see it in the pictures!!

Thanks for sharing!

Vivian said...

Awesome Christmas! Family, fun and food, what else do ya need? I am glad it was good for you. Now on to usher in a wonderful new year. =)

Carey said...

Great pictures. I hear ya as far as the exhaustion goes. I'm still trying to recuperate.

Laura said...

Sounds Like a Awesome Christmas .

Minnesota Nice said...

Very nice pics, Sarah. Your dad looks like very youthful.
May the fun continue!

HVS said...

That's great-glad your Christmas was so good.You've really made it come alive with the pics, I like that there's lot of them in your posts.
Who dresses up as Santa?(at your dad's)

Jerry Grasso said...

I also didn't have anything in my stocking....funny, the joy of Christmas isn't in my gifts..its watching the wee ones open their gifts and hear their elevated voices....