Pre-Christmas Blessings
No need to dream of a white Christmas this year.
We had SNOW, lots of it!
We live in Colorado, but in the southern part of the state, we don't get a lot of snow.
This year we were blessed with the beautiful fluffy, white stuff a few days before Christmas.
This was a very good thing because we need the moisture.
Boston loves the snow.
Now if we can just train him to shovel the walks!
This is Boston's first Christmas.
The value of a private education is truly priceless.
After spending a few weeks at boarding school, Boston posed perfectly in front of the Christmas tree.
Christmas Eve
We had a houseful for Christmas Eve.
My husband's children, their spouses, their children, and his former wife and her husband all joined us for dinner at our house.
An hour before dinner was to be served, I had a cooking disaster.
I foolishly began cooking Spanish rice on top of the stove in a glass casserole dish.
What was I thinking????
Just as the rice came to a boil, the dish exploded.
There was rice and glass everywhere.
Suffice it to say that it was not a pretty sight to see rice, glass, tomatoes, and red peppers covering the stove top and the floor.
Thankfully, neither Jim nor I were cut or injured.
Thankfully, the girls arrived just in time and came to my rescue by cleaning up the mess and making the chicken enchilada recipe while I made more Spanish rice.
Dinner was only 20 minutes late.
Jim's girls ate cookies while they waited for dinner to cook.
I foolishly began cooking Spanish rice on top of the stove in a glass casserole dish.
What was I thinking????
Just as the rice came to a boil, the dish exploded.
There was rice and glass everywhere.
Suffice it to say that it was not a pretty sight to see rice, glass, tomatoes, and red peppers covering the stove top and the floor.
Thankfully, neither Jim nor I were cut or injured.
Thankfully, the girls arrived just in time and came to my rescue by cleaning up the mess and making the chicken enchilada recipe while I made more Spanish rice.
Dinner was only 20 minutes late.
Jim's girls ate cookies while they waited for dinner to cook.
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| Trinette, Thia, and Trista Eat dessert first is a good motto! |
The family gathered in the family room and got acquainted with Boston.
Finally, dinner was ready to be served.
It wouldn't be Christmas at our house with out the Christmas tamales.
My Christmas present from my husband was delivered earlier in the day.
It was this beautiful new table.
Jim's grandchildren always love being together.
Aren't they all beautiful?
I did no baking this year.
In fact, after this year's cooking disaster, I may rethink choosing to cook for a large family gathering.
Catering always works well.
After dinner, we gathered to open presents.
Jim's beautiful daughters pose for a photo.
We are blessed to be surrounded by family.
The girls love their SmartWool socks from their daddy.
Jim's former wife, and the mother of his girls, joined us with her husband.
My man all tied up in a pretty red bow.
No more excuses. We now have a great new recipe book to help us with our new lifestyle of cooking healthy food. (Christmas dinner was excluded from the healthy food choice list!)
Boston got an edible card from K & L's dogs.
He loved it!
Christmas Day
Christmas Day, Amy drove down from the Boulder area with her two children to celebrate.
The kids were super patient. They had to wait until afternoon to open their presents.
My beautiful daughter, Amy...
Judging from the reaction, I think Hannah and Mason were thrilled with the new iPad they received.
Believe it our not, Amy bought me a new rice cooker before my cooking disaster.
I sure could have used it the night before!
After presents were opened and dinner was eaten, Hannah got on her warm winter coat and headed for the trampoline. This girl loves to jump.
This was a whole new experience. She loved it.
Christmas in A Modern Age
Christmas night Grandpa Jim taught the kids how to organize their icons on the iPad and set them up with for facetime. It was pretty funny to watch the kids talk to Grandpa, who was sitting across the room from them, via facetime using the iPad. Amy had to join in using her iPhone.
Just as we did when I was a kid, the kids did play a new board game they received.
Then, Mason played on his iPad.
Hannah played on her Kindle Fire.
Grandpa Jim listened to his Audible books via his iPhone.
Amy texted on her iPhone.
Grandma Sally enjoyed looking at photos posted on facebook of the Christmas celebration held in Boston by son Jon and his family.
That evening, my 95 year old mother posted a Christmas greeting thanking everyone for the Christmas photos that had been posted on facebook.
All in all, Christmas of 2011 was wonderful.
We were surrounded by loved ones.
With a little help from technology,
we also were able to feel connected to those loved ones who live far away.
Family, I'll take that as the best Christmas gift of all.
How fortunate you are to have such a large family...and to have a good relationship with the exwife! I envy you all those grandchildren. I really need to get my son married off. He's my only hope for more grandchildren, but he says he's not a breeder.
ReplyDeleteHappy New year Sally. I wish you all the blessings of the season.
Jann
What a lovely Christmas you and your family had. And What a beautiful family! Thank you for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm really impressed! What an amazing family gathering. Sally, this is so fantastic. I love how the Ex is happily there also and you are all so loving. How wonderful is that? Have a happy new year!!!
ReplyDeleteSally - Your family is beautiful! Thanks for sharing your Christmas. I loved seeing everyone and reading about your special days. ☺ Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful Christmas you had. Still laughing at Amy's gift. How funny and just a tad late.
ReplyDeleteYour snow is beautiful, I am envious, Boston is so handsome, and the happy faces tells it all.
Pretty much perfect.
What a great post! I loved it, and I loved all of your photos. Your and Jim's families "run high" to girls, huh? And all beautiful ones, at that. Don't feel too bad about the rice disaster: I managed to set off our fire alarm on Christmas Day, due to the roast in the oven. We had snow, too, but not as much as you. Boston is a beautiful dog and he's posed so perfectly in front of your tree. I'm so glad your Christmas was a merry one.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a great Christmas, Sally. Boston looks like he is turning into quite the gentleman.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at your electronic facetime from one side of the room to the other....we had the same thing going on.
You got some really good pictures.
Wow! These pictures are worth a thousand words, the joy and happiness. I certainly understand the glee of getting an iPad. I'll be replacing mine very soon, trust me! I am addicted.
ReplyDeleteYou are so blessed, and we are such a plugged in world these days, aren't we? Because of the miracle of blogging, I got to celebrate with you. You light up my life, and that's the truth. :-)
What a beautiful family you have! Enjoyed reading about it.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I used to live in Texas. We used to have tamales, etc. on Christmas Eve. I miss that tradition.
It sounds just perfect, Sally -- with a little cooking disaster to keep things perfectly imperfect! You and Jim have such a beautiful big family! And how great that his ex and her husband could happily join you! I especially loved the electronic assists in family togetherness on Christmas Day! And how impressive that your 95 year old Mom is computer savvy! You're very blessed!
ReplyDeleteSally, I loved sharing your holiday through all these great photos. And you have POTICA! I grew up eating homemade potica year-round, in northern Minnesota. Now we buy it, and I'm eating some right now. Wouldn't be Christmas without it!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a wonderful Christmas with lots of family around. Boston is just precious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful family! I love the SmartWool socks! My mom sent me some for Christmas this year. I tell you, I was definitely needing them what with living in a 100+ year old house. It's a great gift to receive! Jim is a smart man.
ReplyDeleteGosh Sally, where do I start! Amy certainly is beautiful, and looks so much like you. I love her top! You looked lovely in the photo with your husband. You really DID have a houseful, didn;t you?! What a gorgeous Christmas tree, and how wonderful to have snow for Christmas. It looked pretty deep in the garden. Hannah and Mason were certainly thrilled with their new iPad!! Boston is such a cutie. What a beautiful table you had for your Christmas present. Super photos and thank you for sharing them with us. That's lovely that Jim's ex-wife and her husband came along for the celebrations as well. Must have been lovely for his daughters. Take care my friend.
ReplyDeleteIt sure does look like you had a terrific time -- explosion notwithstanding. Glad no one was hurt, or it really would have put a damper on things. I just love that photograph of all that looks like it was taken from upstairs? It's a nice angle.
ReplyDeleteAnd Boston. Dear, adorable Boston. He's just priceless -- and precious!
Looks like a great time was had by all! I have had two dishes explode. It is very scary. So glad you weren't hurt. Your puppy is just so adorable. I am sure he got tons of hugs and kisses from everyone there. Tamales....yum! I made something like it for my mom for Christmas dinner and they were a hit.
ReplyDeleteNow time for a rest right?
Blessings, Joanne
Ah, the many variations of Christmas Success. So glad everyone enjoyed their time together and appreciated their gifts.
ReplyDeleteThis is a love-filled blog, Sally.
ReplyDeleteFrom the first photo of Boston enjoying the snow to the last photo of Hannah having a grand time on the snow-ladened trampoline...this blog is filled with love. I enjoyed reading it so much. Thank you for sharing your Christmas Eve and Christmas day with us.
Love,
Jackie
Goodness gracious, it was so much fun to spend the day with your wonderful blended family. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI meant to come over here before Christmas and wish you a very happy holiday, but I can see that you must have had a very merry Christmas indeed! How wonderful to have so much of your family able to join you to celebrate. And after reading a few of your earlier posts, I'm sure you were happiest of all that your husband was able to celebrate as well.
ReplyDeleteBoston is such a cutie! I'm impressed he sat still for his photo; Sophie is now 3, and I still couldn't get her to sit under the Christmas tree long enough. Your modern-age Christmas made me laugh--smart phones and tablets were in abundance at our Christmas, too.
Wishing you all the best in the coming New Year--and I'll try to do better about visiting more often!
What a beautiful family and Christmas, Sally. I am slow getting around to see my blog friends but yours was such a treat on this wintry Cape Cod morning.
ReplyDeleteI am very envious that I could not have a taste of that meal! Everything looked so good.
Happy you were not injured in the glass disaster. I have done that, too!
Happy new year!
What a wonderful lot of happy family, his and hers and everybody's, all getting on well. You are indeed blessed.
ReplyDeleteI saw that huge pile of dishes in the sink, who washed the pots?
Talk about a houseful! Holy moly!
ReplyDeleteObviously a good time was had by all. Your photos are wonderful!
WOW! You had a huge crowd and lots to prepare!
ReplyDeleteYou pup looks like a real sweetie. I bet he's becoming a treasure that warms your hearts too.
The new connected world is a huge plus to those of us who are fortunate to afford it and it helps us feel we are in touch.
Now that you have the rice cooker you may want tp opt out of the catering idea. lol
Sally - I loved reading about your Family's Christmas and had to laugh that the rice cooker came a day too late to avert disaster. Boston is getting BIG! Glad he's learned some manners while away at boarding school. I want to wish you a New Year full of many good things. Happy 2012!
ReplyDelete