A Soggy Woggy Christmas

While many of you up North have been getting snow and ice, we've been getting nothing but 2 full days of non-stop rain! Last year at this time, it was so cold one of our pipes exploded. Now this year, we're just hoping the sump pump keeps on a pumpin' while we're gone this weekend! It is supposed to snow later tomorrow, but no White Christmas for us in the morning. Not that we're complaining .... we don't miss the ice one bit. Grandma and Grandpa D lost power for almost a full day, so we've been baking and cooking a lot today to take to their house tomorrow. They have a generator, but it limits Grandma's cooking capabilities since it is in the basement.

I've been having a very nice, relaxing break so far. We've been doing lots of reading, baking and Holiday movie watching. I like having Dad home and even if Mom won't admit it, she does too. Dad took us shopping for Mom on Tuesday and we think we got her some great gifts. Zach and I have been playing really nicely together and you can tell he loves the pint-sized company of me.

Today was the perfect Christmas Eve day. We went to see the new Chipmunks movie after lunch. Mom spent most of the time before and after that baking. Dad even pitched in and assembled Grandma's famous broccoli & rice casserole. He opened 4 things and dumped them in all by himself! After a dinner of ribeyes and gratin dauphinois, we finally relaxed and watched the Polar Express. We put out the cookies, carrots, milk and the elf and went up to bed. We checked the Santa Tracker and he seems to be right on target. I didn't cry this year when I said goodbye to Buddy. For some reason though, that made Mom cry twice as much. You would think after the TP job that elf pulled last night she would be happy to see him go! She keeps mumbling stuff about "the magic almost being gone...". I'm not sure what she means, but she always seems to get a little sobstricken when I start asking all my questions and she can see "the wheels turning in my head". All I know is I have been one heck of a good girl this year and even though I went to bed worried my stocking wouldn't be stuffed, I still think everything will be fine in my heart.

We've got a long weekend coming up! First to Grandma D's by lunch and then eventually up to WI to visit with Nana, Papa, Uncle Adam and maybe some other relatives as well. I'm excited to see everyone and of course, the getting presents thing is kind of fun, too.

Have a very Merry Christmas!
Katherine.





Buddy ready for his departure back home
















Zach really enjoyed decorating this year
















He did great work!














All of our little gingerbread people (this batch was consumed in 3 days, we had to make another one today)