Merry post-Christmas 2013!

The photo above is the kick-off to celebrating Christmas Eve - with Tony's family coming to share our traditional Christmas Eve candle light dinner. Such a happy sight! Calvin got his first haircut so it seemed only fitting that he be upgraded to sit at the kid table instead of in the high chair. We had Dennis's red Jello and my funeral potatoes (I made funeral food!) with grape juice and 7-up, just like my Grandmother Nan used to make for us, and of course the traditional macaroni and cheese in honor of the Sweat family tradition - just makes me smile! I bought shrimp for an appetizer and Harmon's also had little single crab claws for 58 cents EACH! Oh my goodness. So I bought six. Reagan even tried one (she's not a fan). The first photo below was taken BEFORE everyone arrived to fill the table with life; the second is a shot of the beautiful blue sky day that we had and you can see the Santa plate that has a cookie with each of the grandkid's names on it that Angie gave us a couple of years ago: and the third photo is a selfy I took just for the blog because I wanted to convey "Hey - a newlywed should be stuffing this celery - not me!"

The photo below is a wistful glimpse of the two place settings that were set aside and we didn't get to use that night because my mom had a scare and hurt her ankle and they ended up at Alta View hospital having it checked out for Christmas Eve (thankfully she's doing fine) but boo on that, and we surely missed them! (and the shrimp and crab missed being enjoyed by Grandpa Hiatt!).

When Tony and Cindy and the kids arrived,  we told them we were starting late because Dennis was helping my mom and dad get situated, so  they hurried to Walmart (2.5 minutes away and YES it is sweet to have it so close) and bought their live Christmas tree at half price to put in their new house so Santa could find them that night. (they camped out on the floor of the new house - nothing but sleeping bags and a live tree tied with a rope to the ceiling vent to hold it up).  The kids and I munched on snacks and watched part of "Elf" and knew that soon the festivities would begin! Calvin entertained us and dressed up as potato head Santa.

We had the nativity - and Lauren bless her heart even dressed up in an angel costume. The photo of Reagan wearing a black nose makes me laugh. I hadn't noticed it until I uploaded it for the blog. Jane has traditionally been a sheep every year and she has a white woolly lamb's coat and wears a black nose that we save from year to year. This year she graciously accepted the invitation to play the part of Mary because at the last minute Calvin wanted to be a sheep. However, at some point he reconsidered and changed his mind and wanted to be the shepherd (could it have been that the staff looked inviting?) so Reagan switched from shepherd to black-nosed sheep. I hadn't even notice that she wore a nose!

Calvin spent his short time as a shepherd wielding his staff in unrighteous dominion, so we had to make that part of the program short and sweet!

 

My favorite part of the evening came next, when the girls played their violins. The house was squeezed tight with warmth and the night outside was crisp and cold, so we opened the front door and the beautiful music spilled joyfully out into the empty Christmas Eve street. It felt to me just like a little choir of angels. Because we believe! The little kids shook jingle bells and we sang everything from "Silent Night" to "I'm Gettin' Nuthin' For Christmas" at the tops of our lungs. Loved it.

And then the fun of watching excited hands tearing into presents, sweet faces of grandchildren opening presents. We had a wonderful night. 

We love you all and although we have an ache inside missing each of you who live so far away, especially at this time of year, the joy of being a family and loving each other with all our hearts,that's what really matters.

Now I'm off to make tacos for dinner. I hope we never OD on tacos or spaghetti - or we'll be in dire straits.


Love, Mom