Christmas 2023

 We last left off on Christmas Eve.  Christmas day was quiet, but nice.  We began the day bright and early at 6:30am, as the girls indicated that this was the latest acceptable time.  We started with stocking and Santa gifts.  The girls had asked Santa for a gumball machine that you build and take apart to build again differently, think marble track but with gumballs.  They got that and Elsie got the Barbie she asked for and CC got a light up drawing tablet.  Merrick, who was too cool to ask Santa for anything, got AirPods.  Jeremy and I got a pickle ball set.

Merrick's gift highlights were, not surprisingly, all about sports.  He got an elbow guard, face mask, eye black, and, most importantly, a new bat.  Starting next year, he will have to swing a BBCor bat so he got a brand new one to start off his high school career on the right foot.

Carrigan got lots of crafting and volleyball related things.  The highlights were the sewing machine from Grandpa and Lollie, and a new volleyball net for the backyard.

Elsie got Barbies galore, a Cookez Makery that has you bake a dough in a magic oven and it magically turns into a stuffy, and a magical fairy finder.  Her biggest gifts were roller skates from Grandpa and Lollie, and a new bike.

Jeremy and I struggled with what to get each other this year.  I'm not sure he was over the moon with his gifts of shoes, jeans, a reading light, a hat and snacks from around the world, but I did put a fair amount of thought into it and, as they say, it's the thought that counts.

I picked out several of my gifts this year, but Jeremy did surprise me with some new clothes.  I got clothes, boots, and my highlight was an eye massager.

After opening all the gifts, it looked like a bomb had gone off in the house, but everyone was happy.  We had a nice breakfast with cinnamon roll and, a delightful gift to me, I didn't even have to make them since we had friends drop them off the night before.

The rest of the day was about R and R.  Jeremy and I took a nap.  We watched movies, did face masks, and everyone tried out my new eye massager.  It was a great day.

Today is NYE and we are trying again with the Lundberg Christmas party.  Unfortunately, now Becca's boys, Quincy and Lincoln, have Covid, but we can't postpone any longer.  Maybe someday everyone will be healthy, but that might not happen until next Christmas.