Christmas After-Action Report - Part One

Unlike some shiftless bloggers, I am writing today. Depending on how tired I am, I may even write tonight after the crew goes home. If I don't post tonight, I will certainly post tomorrow. Gotta let y'all know how things go tonight.

Last night was lovely. The Angel Baby Girl had to work yesterday, so she didn't get here 'til around 7:30. But once she was here the ball got rolling. I cooked two pounds of bacon, a pound of sausage, and I lost track of how many waffles. I had melted a pound of butter and warmed the syrup in the microwave. Then we chowed down, Children.

Everyone had a pile of presents in front of them. We go round-robin so that we can all watch each other open their presents and take pleasure in their delight. I love the squeals! And squeals there were.
I think the highest pitch squeal was from ABG when she got her "Girly-Tool". It sort of a cross between a Swiss Army knife and a Leatherman, but better. It's pink, has a mirror, pillbox, perfume bottle and pen in additon to all the tools. She was very delighted with the cookbook and other kitchen "stuff" from her grandmother.
The XY offspring got a neat bookmark from the Dearly Beloved. It's a reproduction of Republic of Texas currency. $50 bill. Of course there was some U.S. currency hidden under the RoT bill, just to make life interesting. Both those presents were inside a book he will enjoy. From Mom, he got a box. Said box is decorated with holly leaves. It was filled with an assortment of goodies. Two red drum Christmas ornaments. He has been a drummer since he was in the womb! An egg for growing his very own dinosaur! A new address book and a key chain with his initial in thick, chunky chrome.

The Dearly Beloved has enough new books to keep him busy for a month or three. His Yellow Lab, Ben, gave him Marley and Me. Boo, my dog, gave him Bartlett's Shakespere Quotations. Who knew she was so erudite? He got The Last Templar, 102 Minutes, and an Ed McBain book from me. And from his little Sistah Cait, he got a prescription to Texas Monthly. Love the pic of Dick Cheney on the cover!

Me? What did I get? Did I get a lump of coal for being a bad girl? No, no, no! I most certainly did NOT! I have been a VERY good Girl this year! Well, maybe just naughty a couple of times, but Santa was still generous to me. First of all, my Sweet XY offspring showed up a day early and help me clean and decorate! That was the BEST present he could have given me. Better than any "thing" he could have gone to a store and spent $ on.
My Sistah Cait gave me a prescription to Southern Living. My Friend Dian gave me gorgeous pin: it's oval says "Love" and above that are holly leaves and berries. I had seen it in a store when we were shopping and said, "I want that, but I'm not gonna but it this close to Christmas. I'll tell the kids about it and one of them can come and get it for me." And then Dian get it, that little Minx!
The Angel Baby Girl gave me a pair of tickets to the Jan 9 game between the Dallas Stars and the Phoenix Coyotes! We are gonna have SOOOOO much fun! I will be bloggin' about that, so watch for it. I'll also explain why I'm a Coyotes fan instead of a Stars fan. The only non-Texas team I back. She also gave the Dearly Beloved and me matching Christmas ornaments. They are white, shaped like TX, his is bordered in red, mine in blue. Mine has a spray of Bluebonnets, His has a bunch of Chili Peppers. They both say, "Merry Christmas Y'all" Isn't that appropriate?
Let's see, now, the Dearly beloved was very generous. He gifted me with: a dusty plum coat with about 8 different pockets; a ceramic hair straightner {so my bangs won't curl up and look wonky}; a pin of holly leaves and berrys; SWAT,the movie DVD; two stitchwork kits; a book on living on a shoestring { I swear I asked for it!}; and an Aggie Santa hat w/ holly around the brim!
My Mother gave me gave me a Paula Dean cook book and a beautiful curtain for my back door. She gave the Dearly Beloved a new electric carving knife. My Mom {not the same person} gave us a variety of presents but the most sentimental was a Christmas ornament of two hearts entertwined with the legend "Our Christmas Together, 2006" Even the Dearly Beloved things it's pretty.
My Fav step-Bro and his lovely wife gave us a door hanger that weighs a short ton, but is sooo gorgeous! It's on the front door now. It says, "Happy Holly Days" and of course it has holly leaves and berrys. And I got a message board for the kitchen, too. The Dearly Beloved got World Trade Center.
From my Older Bro I got a gift card from my most favorite restaurant in the entire world, SONIC! I go to Sonic, and have for the last 10 years, about 4 days a week, minimum. I used to get Diet Cokes with a shot of Vanilla. However this Summer they got me hooked on Raspberry Iced Tea. I don't usually get food at Sonic. Oh, sometimes I'll get cheddar Peppers, or once I tried their Cheesecake bites, but I always get a drink. It's the ice, you see. Those little rabbit pellets of ice just amaze and delight me. I don't know why, but I am addicted to Sonic ice. When I win the lottery, I'm going to buy a machine that makes Sonic ice. Not a refrigerator with an ice maker. No. That's not good enough. I want a by Goddess, authentic SONIC ice machine. I want those pellets!

Now, you've had your Holly blog, go...enjot the rest of Christmas Day! Hug and Kiss your fam!