Christmas Day
Christmas morning Todd and I wake up early and turn on all of our Christmas lights. Breakfast is Cinnabon. (This year we split 1 and saved the other for later). Then we open the presents we put in each other’s stockings. The main things Todd got for me included a new Billabong hoodie, a sweet new hat, and he custom designed a new case for my iPod! I got him a new sweater but it fit weird so we still have to shop for him. I also got him a grill press and four nonstick egg rings because he loves to make bacon and eggs for breakfast. We got each other little stuff too. Like I bought him a chunk of marzipan shaped like a pig. In Cozumel our very Mexican scuba instructor told us the story of his sister who raised cows and ‘porks’. It still makes me giggle. Normally we also open our yearly Christmas ornament but after wrapping presents late Christmas Eve, Todd thought it might be nice to open it early this year. It was his year to find one and he did not disappoint.
Next we headed over to his sister Nicole’s house for brunch and to watch Gus ride his new Jeep or ‘Gleep’ as he calls it. We unwrapped our presents to each other so it was Christmas all over again. Gus put on my Santa hat and declared himself to be Santa Claus. Santa brought me a teapot, pajamas, a gift certificate to World Market. Todd got a photography book by National Geographic, sweatpants, pajamas, and a gift certificate to Mike’s Camera towards printing and framing one of his photos. We gave the girls a basket of spices and treats from Savory Spice where we went shopping a few weeks ago, Nicole’s husband a beer-making kit that supposed to taste like Fat Tire. And his dad a new jacket for work. My favorite present was the one Nicole thought of for Todd’s parents. She had all of their old family video tapes put on DVDs. I can’t wait to see them.
Finally we went to my dad’s house for Christmas Round 3. Gayle’s whole family and my sister’s family came over which made us about 19. There was no room for all of our stockings to be hung by the chimney with care so they were hung on the staircase.
The kids had a gift exchange and then it was time for dinner. Guess what we ate for Christmas dinner? The turkey I won at that Earn Your Turkey Challenge at MBS! It was delicious!!! After dinner the kids went off and played and the bigger kids opened each other’s gifts. My sister got us gift certificates to play paintball! Sweet! And my dad made a generous donation to the Ramirez Shopping Fund that was much appreciated.
The day is over but the season is still on. For one thing we have these gift certificates to still shop for. More importantly, though, between Christmas Eve and three rounds of Christmas Day, we have still only seen half the family we have in Colorado. We still haven’t seen the Fort Collins, the Grand Junction, or the Arvada crowds yet. But we will!