Post-Christmas report

The 7 YO recovered from his fever Friday. My Parents came to town Friday. The graciously stayed with the boys Saturday night while I went to dinner at a Friends and Hubby went and visited his sister in the hospital.

On Sunday our Christmas started about 1:30 with the hour drive to my Brother's (B2) house. We had appetizer's courtsey of SIL 1. Then the kids opened their presents. the 7yo got a football that seems to have been his favorite gift. But He still need to take a closer look at the things he got. Then we all went to 5:00 Mass. We came home and had a great dinner and then the grown-ups opened presents. We got home about 10:00. The 11YO made a big deal about putting out a plate with cookies and grapes for Santa.

We told the boys they had to wait until 7 AM to open gifts. The 11YO did not want to get up when 7:00 came around. They got football jerseys, sleeping bags, video games for the Gameboy and XBOX. The 7 YO got a Game Boy Micro. The 11 YO had gotten his the weekend before because he was required to pay for half of it since he lost his Game Boy advanced and his Game Boy Sp over the past year.

My Parents brought me my heart's desire from their trip to Germany: The Hummel Nativity. Just the Holy family, but I have wanted it for years.

Christmas Day was quiet after the opening of the gifts. Then at 6PM we went to a party with my Mom's family. There are over 80 family members. We were missing only 13. Santa came as usual. I did notice that my & yo was uncomfortable when Santa came in. I was hoping to preserve the innocence another year or so.

Hubby's Sister did come home from the Hospital Christmas eve. She's have some hard times over the past 2 years starting with her husband asking for a divorce Christmas Day 04. Over that time depression and loneliness seemed to have driven her to making Vodka her best friend. It caught up with her and now she is recovering. I am praying that she continue to recover and that my MIL provides enough support to help but that she is strong enough to allow SIL without breaking herself mentally, emotionally and financially.

But all-in-all, we are very blessed and lucky.