Christmas Eve

Hello, hello.

I have finally gotten my act together to write the first post of 2015.  We spent an entire week in Tucson for the holidays and then I have been blog- lazy, but not life-lazy since returning home on Tuesday the 30th.

We drove down to Tucson on the 23rd.  It took me almost all day to get us packed up and ready to go, so we didn't get there until almost dinner time.  We ate dinner with my parents and then walked around Winterhaven, a neighborhood that goes all out with their lights.  

On Christmas Eve we were invited to a luncheon at the home of my parents' long time friends.  These are all the people at the luncheon who graduated from the same high school. We were in the classes of 1959 to 2007. 

On our way back to my parent house we saw Santa out for a ride.  A motorcycle ride.

We went to 4:00 mass where both kids did surprisingly well.  We didn't have to leave church to walk around with anybody outside.  A Christmas miracle!

Once we got home I wanted Michael to help me test the lighting so we could take our Christmas Eve family picture.

This face is a long running inside joke that only the two of us are privy to.   It started back in, like, 2004.  Maybe 2005.

We tried by the front door,

but decided to go with this one in front of the tree as official.

Michael and his dad and uncle were dressed as triplets.  This was totally unplanned.

Elliott has become obsessed with taking our pictures.  He will only pose for a picture if we pose for one after.

Nick special ordered and made foie gras as an appetizer.

It was drizzled with truffle honey.

My mom made a delectable crab and corn chowder for the first course.  The rest of the dinner was also delectable but I was too busy eating to take pictures.

After dinner we opened presents.

Another Elliott picture.

And, of course, got things ready for Santa and his reindeer.

Spencer snuck in later and added the dollar bill.  He said that Santa deserved a tip.

Elliott wanted nothing to do with putting the cookies out, but he was all about airplane rides.

After the kids were in bed Nick, Michael and I enjoyed some drinks by the fire in the chiminea. 

We went inside sometime after midnight and were delighted to see that Santa had made a very quick visit.  He got in and out in a matter of minutes, I think.  We didn't even hear him!

Stay tuned for:

Christmas Day

The days after Christmas

Our 13th Anniversary

Some other things that I'm probably forgetting right now.