Christmas Update

Hey all - thanks to a neighbor of my in laws with unsecured wireless I can check my e-mail and post a blog. Thanks Jeffrey (whoever you are).... :)

This has been one awesome Christmas season for us. Busy as usual but great.

On Christmas eve I picked up my brother Mark and we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service. He was actually doing pretty well. Most of you know he has paranoid schizophrenia. So you never know what you're going to get. Thankfully we had a good time. He still suffers terribly but seemed to be a little bit more of "himself" than I have seen in a while. The service was awesome - lots of folks hung around afterward for coffee, hot chocolate and "goodies".

On Christmas Day I got up early and started cooking - YES I DID MOST OF THE COOKING! I fixed dressing with mushrooms, pecans, onions and of course I used broth from the giblets. I pealed and cooked potatoes and made home made mashed potatoes, I cooked the green beans and deep fried the turkey. Other folks brought some other goodies - but hey this is my blog so it's about me. Suffice it to say we had a feast.

Then we opened gifts... (actually we opened some before everyone got there) - I think everyone was pleased with what they received I know I was... the biggies for me were a new set of gouges for my lathe and a new drill press - Melody is the BOMB! Jon was pleased with his new guitar strap (a really nice hand made one that should last him for years, and a couple of gift cards to guitar center - he wants a new pedal). Nina was thrilled with her new Lee Middleton doll and an ipod. And everyone seemed to enjoy the new wii game system - it's a blast! And of course I did not get Melody anything with a cord... but I did get here some things that were shiney and smelly!

But after dinner the fun began! The princess (our grand daughter) was in the house! Man, a three year old can make things fun. She was saying things like, "I love it" and "I've always wanted one of these". And then she got on the wii. She was playing the bowling game - what a thrill to watch.

Well the next day we hit the road - we drove some nine hours to NW Illinois to visit with Melody's folks. In so many ways they are more than in-laws to me. Much more like parents. I have been so blessed with them for 30 years now. Not sure how many more years we will have them - but we know we will have them for eternity, if not here.

We did go see the movie Seven Pounds... A MUST SEE! But be warned - bring some tissues - lots of them.

We will be heading back home tomorrow and I can't wait. I love coming up here - but I love where I live. I can't wait to go pick up my drill press at Sears and try out my new "toys". I also can't wait to see Jon, Beth, Dale and Abigail. They all stayed in KY this year. It's hard to believe that the days are gone when all the kids make this trip with us. But Nina is a joy and someday she will not make the trip either - so we're just enjoying the time we have.

I hope you all had as great a Christmas as I have had. God bless you all.