The Day After

Here I sit at my favorite spot......in front of my computer monitor.  Left the house around 11 on Xmas morning and we drove to Renton.  I rode with Catie in her car as did Jenni and Maddie. Wayne, Hunter, and Sammy the dog rode in a second car.  We arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon and spent the next couple of hours settling in.

Was fun to graze on all the food displayed on the island in the kitchen. A very nice variety of candies, mints, cookies, chips, and veggies.  Catie presented homemade chocolate covered cherries and blueberries. I tried everything but tried to use moderatioon. Had a terrible Xmas eve with indigestion and gas.  Not sure if it was the pizza and junk food or the two bottles of hard lemonade I felt I needed to drink.  That will teach me!  I've got to remember that my body cannot be put through the usual routine I've expected it to tolerate when I'm in party mode.

I posted a few pictures in an album on Facebook as I thought it would be easier but I think I'll post some here as well. I know a lot of people don't even bother with FB these days.  I do like it for the photographs you can view, however.

We had prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, and apple pie.  While we were waiting for the meat, we opened gifts.

 Mary & Andy with the homemade pillows her Aunt Janie made.

                                 Joe relaxing with Sammy

 The twins received kits to make Smores. 

Andy & Hunter work on a 3-D puzzle of a world globe.

Later on that evening, we took a drive over to Bellevue to see a display of lights in a garden.

 a beautiful dragon using thousands of lights

 Andy & Mary with Catie, Hunter, and Maddie

 Me standing by palm trees

 The twins got  cameras for Xmas so they were both clicking like crazy

 I thought this spider web was kinda neat

A walkway of yellow lights really brightened things up.  There was a policeman directing traffic and the parking lots were full.

Here I am with my two youngest--Jenni & Joe

And here I am again with my three grandkids--Catie, Maddie, Hunter

Two of the last pictures I took was Sammy in the car coming home and Jen & Wayne as we traveled down the Interstate.  I do hate freeways!

We arrived home around 3:15 and discovered that new neighbors had moved in while I was gone.  They must have little kids because a large swing set is set up in the backyard already. Boy, that was quick. The house has been empty for months.

I compiled my "to-do list" for the next three days and it's mighty busy.  Intend to undecorate, sort through the decorations and discard some, clean the garage, run errands, and play around with some of my new Christmas toys.  Got a gadget that will convert my music cassettes to my computer so I can make CDs out of them.  Sure hope it's easy to understand because I REALLY want to get going on that project.  I have hundreds of cassettes.

This weekend I'll start hanging new calendars throughout the house.  I love calendars. I have six already.  Need to write another Leader blog too.  Feels so good to be home.