Christmas Eve Dec 24, 2009

     Once we had families of our own, Christmas Eve has been celebrated at my Mom & Dad’s house. We have an awesome dinner prepared by my Mom and we each bring something to add to the dinner. Mom has always mades BBQ Brisket and Cheesy Potatoes. Our tradition of the same, delicious menu every year. We usually arrive around 5, eat dinner with my Aunt & Uncle and their daughter (who now has a husband and the cutest baby bump). Then after they leave, we open start getting all the presents out from all the hiding places.

     But this year, tradition was thrown out the window! We had a winter storm coming that was promising to mess things up. We were expecting sleet or freezing rain before it would change to all snow.
     The sleet began early in the day. By 10 AM it was already a mess. Roads were getting slick and hazardous. Mom’s first email said “Let’s start at 4” then it became “Let’s start at 3:30” At 2:30 Mom called “Your sister made it here, so come on over and we’ll open gifts first and then eat later” So we loaded up in the vehicles and headed over.

    We rushed to Mom’s, which is not easy with children and grandchild in tow. The roads were getting icy and took a little time to get the 3 miles. When we arrived I realized I had forgotten the Poinsettia I bought my Mom (I will just have to give it to her Christmas day when they come to my house for dinner).

    The gifts were already under the tree screaming “OPEN ME!!” The gifts were opened in a rush as always. The kids, even though grown, were still ripping through the paper to get to the gift hidden inside. The smiles on their faces reminded me of when they were little.. they may think they are grown ups but the look on their faces said otherwise.
    Now we had to make Mom’s house as clean as it was when we arrived. Mom’s brother and his family were coming for dinner at 5:30. We gathered all the wrappings and boxes and put them away. The weather outside was getting worse, but the family arrived right on time. We ate our wonderful Christmas Eve dinner, visited with everyone, including our phone call from England that we get every year. (always good to hear from her).

    My boys still needed to drive another 60 miles south of here to see their Dad and his family. We left early so they could get on the road before it got even worse. I worried about them being on the roads, but I knew if they didn’t go now, they’d never get there. Thank heavens for cell phones… I was able to keep tabs on their way and was glad when they arrived safely.

    What a night this was… it will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings, but we are definitely having a white Christmas this year.