Christmas at Mom's!

Christmas Eve - Take Two!! 

While I didn't have ALL my children and grandchildren together - as Summer and Sabrina and Rayne were all sick in Puerto Rico - and Benjamin had the flu -  we continued on to make the best of it!

Since the Bell family had a Flu A situation....we ended up with TWO 'Christmas Eves!'

Amber named it 'Christmas at Mom's!

She and Mike arrived with a trunk full of gifts and food!!!

Do you spy the box of Fajita Pete's???

Such excellent food and no one had to lift a finger!

I did not get a pic of our beloved Rachel from Christmas Eve but I made sure I got one that night!

Let me say that Rachel is as beautiful inside as she is out!

It was a wonderful dinner and even better since we had a gas leak and no HOT WATER!

Louis Dean heats pots of water on our electric stove and made it his business to take care of the dishes.

I next to never use paper plates.

Not pictured is Mike's brother, Chris, and his two daughters, Hailey and Harper!

Sadly, our dear Whitney and son Hudson stayed in Indiana due to illness!

They were sorely missed!

Gifts followed and this is a resin honeypot hand made by Kailey.....

Whitney and Chris gifted Louis Dean with this special John Wayne blanket!!

And they also gave him a book on ALL the John Wayne movies!

Win! WIN!!

I shopped all year long - and you know where - and Amber loves this heated chip and dip dish!

Amber and Mike gifted Louis Dean with a bird feeder that has a solar camera...

He immediately unwrapped every single part and Amber rescued them so she could put it together for him next week. We hid it on the guest room top bunk...

I was pleased with the gifts I gave....

Mostly!

I gave a blooper gift that I can't (or won't explain) but Amber was a super good sport about it!

I saw this hunting outfit and grabbed it!!

For the Bell grands....

I actually gave them a personal Christmas card which included a small gift and some $.

Harrison and Trystan.....

Sweet Kailey....

And Logan - my mini me!

After gifts?

Next up.....

NUTS!!!

We have been playing NUTS ever since the 1970's!

A friend from church taught us how and I am ashamed that I can't even remember her name.

Shades of senility here!

Ruth! I think her name was Ruth!

It was so much FUN!!!

And then there was sugarplums!

Such a wonderful gathering!

Amber and our dear friend, Ilene!

It made my heart squeeze that my grands wanted a pic with me....

Kailey...

Logan....

Trystan....

And Harrison......

And best of all - my sweet Amber!

She made all of the other pics possible!

Alas, I didn't get a pic of me and Mike but I love him so much!

Today the dining room is back to normal and ready for a lunch, dinner party or tea!

Our fireplace is important since we had a gas leak and Atmos turned the gas off on Monday.

It's since been repaired but complications unsued since the permit had the wrong address.

So we are still boiling water on our electric stove which wouldn't be a problem unless you have dementia and Alzheimer's  - so Louis Dean is constantly boiling water oon our electric stove.

Fireplace and candles are good and we will eventually have hot water - hopefully soon!

But tomorrow is New Year's Day so I'm thinking it will be a few more days....

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Ilene is here and we are going to play NUTS and have appetizers before our third James Bond movie - Skyfall - one of my favorites!

Then dinner will be Dickies BBQ which Ilene picked up on her way here and I am making potato salad and BBQ beans.

Our sweet neighbor across the street just brought over a coconut cake from La Madeliene!!

What an absolute delight this is!!

Happy New Year!!!