Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas '09

Usually, we head over to my sister's for Christmas. But Kristie wanted to host the festivities at our house this year. So my brother, Kevin, and my sister, Barb, agreed to come over for Christmas Eve.

It was an intense two days of cleaning on all of our parts and cooking on Kristie's part and staying out of the way on my part, but it turned out to be a great evening.

As usual, we over planned. I recall us doing this for Casey's graduation and a Fourth of July get together we had with Lon and Sara. But that means leftovers.

We were over at Barb's several times over the past few months, and they were over at our place this fall for Kenzie's birthday, but I think it was not since Casey's graduation last May that the whole family had been together.

It was great to see everyone and listen to everyone share their stories and laugh. Mom and Dad would have loved it.



"This is about the right size for me," Kenzie Scout.

Barb telling one of her stories. As usual.

Kevin. Taking it easy. As usual.

Kristie finishing off the cooking. The meal was excellent.


Yours Truly, standimg tall over the proceedings.


Grammie, Arnie's grandmother, shares some advice with Kenzie. There is only a difference of about 90 years here. Grammie is 91 and sharp as I've ever known her.


Barb's family - Ashley, Arnie, Grammie, Barb, and Matt. Amanda was spending the holiday with her fiance, Sean.


Kevin's family - Deann, Demara, and Kevin.

Matt and Kenzie.

Ashley and Arnie.


KoKo and Demara, exchanging some gossip.

This gift was addressed to me from "The '80s." Apparently, I led quite the sheltered life out on the farm from '84-'90 or so since I have never seen many of the 'great' '80's films like . . .deep sigh for you '80s aficianods out there, E.T., Dirty Dancing, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Buller's Day Off, Back to the Future, The Lost Boys, Batman, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Ghostbusters, or Big. In fact, a few years ago, Kristie's brother, Brian, left her some message that included an allusion to the film The Goonies. To say that Kristie was completely shocked when I said that I had never seen it, is the very definition of understatement. But living on a farm in the mid to late '80s was not the hub of social activity. In fact, if it weren't for a trip to GF around Christmas time for my friend Dale's birthday - and seeing Top Gun - I probably would have gone from seeing Return of the Jedi to Robo Cop without seeing a movie in an actual theatre.


Here's Kenzie with a little baby that we got her. She's already a good little mother. Here she is giving her baby a bottle. Just like I did with Kenzie about an hour later.


Kenzie is sitting on a sweet plastic ride Barb got her while she holds the toy camera from Deann.



All of our kids in front of the tree. Smiles for Christmas.

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