This was our first time since we moved to Austin in March, 2000, to not go to Colorado for Christmas. It turned out to be wise since there was a huge blizzard while we would have been traveling there, and there was another snow storm today, the day we would have been driving home.I was really happy to stay home for once because I love Texas and I enjoy being at home, although Kelly's parents always try to make everything fun for us when we head to the Rockies.
Christmas Eve was on Sunday, so we were able to participate in our own ward's church services for once, with Kelly and Lindsey singing in the choir. It was a nice program and then I taught the adult Sunday School class for the first time. It was scary, but it went fine. Then in Relief Society, a few people had volunteered to bring their own nativity sets from home to display. My friend, and co-counselor, Shauna, brought hers. I brought mine too, and displayed it with the nativity sketch that my niece, Morgan, had drawn which became the art for her family's Christmas card.
Karina, formerly in my Laurel class, and I were in matching Christmas colors, and since she was home from Utah for the holidays, I seized the moment to have our picture taken together. I really would have liked to have gotten a family picture of the four of us today in our church clothes, but the effort it would take seemed impossible at the time. We all were dressed in matching Christmas colors and managed to get out the door with no time to spare. Then by the time we got home, everyone was hungry and wanting to eat and slip into comfy clothes.
Our Christmas Eve dinner was spectacular. My sister, Julie and her family, surprisingly shipped us a box of frozen steaks and more from Omaha Steaks, that was packaged with dried ice in a Styrofoam container. Lindsey and I set up the card table in the game room in front of the upstairs Christmas tree where we put the gifts and planned to play games later. Our cozy little table for four was festive and charming and the entire meal, including the sparkling cider, were Christmas gifts that we had received. Julie's family provided the mouth watering filet mignon, stuffed potatoes, and chocolate cake, and RuthAnn dropped off the sparkling cider. It was such a treat. All that I had to do was grill the steaks, which is very doable in Texas in December, and steam some broccoli.
After the incredible meal, we played a game of Scrabble. Christopher only lasted through two turns and was eager to get in bed to make the time go by quickly so he could see what Santa would be bringing. Lindsey and Kelly and I had fun playing. My best word was a 56-pointer, that Kelly didn't think was really a word. It was "juris" and he challenged me, but eventually relented that it could count. He could call it an early Christmas present! This year's Christmas was so wonderful and rare, spending time with my little family in our home.
Comments