Emmett was bouncing off the freaking walls, and ready for it to be morning already

I love this part of Christmas. Our Christmas this year is lacking children and it's noticeable.

I feel like I've sort of lost the Christmas spirit, but I don't want to talk trash about the in-laws in public. They have wonderful qualities, particularly my FIL, but Christmas is about different things here, as in, not what Joe and I are used to.

I have no problem talking trash about my family christmas. Especially given that it is before 9AM and I am awake, because we have to go to Mass (which starts at 10AM, and is half an hour away). Stupid "reason for the season" and all that. HARUMPH, I say.

Also bitter because instead of yummy Christmas dinner last night (we always do our celebrating on Christmas Eve), my mom decided we would do a Trader Joe's Christmas. Which *could've* been yummy, but...there were two cheeses, crackers, grapes, pineapple, bruschetta, and mushroom turnovers. I don't eat mushrooms. She knew that. I was less than enthused by the selection, lemme tell ya.

Not to mention that she's given up buying gifts for me--she literally gave me things she wanted me to give back to her (which I did). (Well, and some cash. So it's a little easier to roll my eyes at the rest)

I'm thinking next year I may need to just be elsewhere. Maybe I can get my sister and BIL to join me somewhere else. But then my brother would want to come. And that would be kinda mean to my parents, don'tcha think?

Awesome, Fay! 25 pounds is a great start. The best thing about it is, as you said, the fitness that comes with the weight loss. It's amazing how much more energy you have with just a few pounds lost. And 100 laps of the pool? Damn, girl, you're really fit to be doing that.

Karl! Lovely to see you here. All the joys of the season to you! Hugs and kisses, too.

meara, even if your parents do want to come along, at least you have the ability at that point to do it on your terms. Have the food you want, establish rules for gift giving, tell them to go to church before they come over so you can indulge in a lie in, etc. It makes it much more tolerable, then.

Merry Christmas!

Karl! So good to see you here. Long time. tacklehug How's it going with you and yours?

We did Christmas Eve with my family and got home about 1am. I did some cooking, cleaning, laundry, and santa clausing until about 3am. Bobby was up at 4:30 and they have been in and out since then. I didn't get out of bed until about 8, but not a whole lot of sleep was had.

There are many presents, the smell of yummy food, and peace and quiet at the moment. Today will be cleaning and packing and entertaining. Coffee is good.

Have a wonderful day Bitches.

I woke up too darn early and couldn't fall back asleep. Found K-Bug on the computer as her mouth was keeping her awake. From 4:30 - 6:30 we just hung out and watched tv half-awake. DH and my mom have appeared. Somehow CJ is still asleep and C is NEVER an early riser.

Mom is in high gear, already prepping breakfast and heating up cocoa.

Not sure when today will officially kick off, but I think I'm already ready for a nap.

Merry merries, all!

Daniel's prezzie to me was a tiara.

heheheeheheheeehhhheeehehehe.

Oh, Andi, that is so sweet! I can't wait to see pictures of you in it.

The pork roast is in the crock pot. I could be doing other useful things right now, but I'm thinking just sitting for another half hour is fine. Then, it will be time to pick up the living room and vacuum for guests.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! I will not be a grinch and go throttle the young children who woke me up at 7:30 as they burst into the B&B living room to open presents. They are children. It's Christmas. The fact that I had insomnia and didn't fall asleep until after 2 is irrelevant. I will not be a grinch. Really. It's a Christmas miracle.

My parents had very sensible rules for Christmas mornings: No child was allowed downstairs until Mom had woken up, and no child was allowed to wake Mom. These rules were not so much enforced by Dad, so much as by our own terror of pissing him off. The old man was a very scary person.

Our usual rule with CJ is that when he wakes up Christmas morning, he is to go upstairs to either K-Bug or Grandma, depending on who is awake and wait until the jingle bells are shaken at the bottom of the stairs signifying that Santa has left the building.

Both K-Bug and Grandma are downstairs watching tv right now. Not sure what he is going to do when neither is in her respective room.