Merry Christmas - part 1

We experienced another whirlwind Christmas this year. We started out by spending most of Christmas Eve waiting for Chris to get home from work. Once he got home, we opened our gifts to each other, got dressed (don't you love the scottie dogs on the dresses? I do! Thank you Grandma Jane) packed both trucks - including new windows for Mima - and headed south in the rain and wind.
We had missed Emily singing at 4:00 mass, so we attended 6:00 mass. What a nice change! There were actually seats for all of us and it wasn't overcrowded! We think Emily should change next year and sing at the later mass.
After dropping off Mima's windows, we went up the hill to Susie & Barney's house and "checked-in" for a few days. Dinner was waiting for us and so was our room. Reilly's bed from Mima's house had been brought up and there was a real bed for Chris and I and air mattresses for Quinlan and Max. They thought the idea of "sleeping over" at Susie & Barney's was such a great idea!
It was nice. After putting the kids (and Chris) to bed, Mima, Betsy, Susie, Emily and I all met in Susie & Barney's room (where Poppy and Mima were sleeping) to help wrap and chat. I think there was more chatting than wrapping, except for Susie. Then everyone turned in.
After threatening to get up at 5:00am to check out the gifts, I was relieved to hear Jacob, Seth and Emily go downstairs just after 7:00am and then the gift wrap ripping began!