Merry Christmas

630AM - Me, up. The rest of the house quiet. I get showered and head downstairs.
700AM - Working on the the rest of the morning's breakfast (I had started it at 11PM on Christmas Eve). Note to self: the French Toast casserole that I've been making the last few years is the butter-and-egg equivalent of a nuclear bomb. Perhaps it's time to rethink it.
730AM - the Boy has awoken the stunningly patient SML but not his sisters, who are far less patient.
800AM - Our Lady of BYU and CAL do arise and the opening of gift shenanigans begins. First, the stockings hung by the chimney with care, are opened and then we move to the living room where we each assume our assigned positions on the respective couches. I am armed with two trash bags. My compulsion to have things orderly really flies out at Christmas. No gift box is opened until the wrapping is in the trash bag. Everyone has learned to deal with said rule.

The Boy still acts as the elf, distributing gifts and adding color commentary. It's funny as the kids are all now teenagers, with one nearly out of teenage-dom, how gift-giving and reactions have changed. Our Lady of BYU essentially bought all her gifts this year, but that works, no weeping, wailing, and or gnashing of teeth. CAL was very specific in what she wanted and even helped picked some of it out - so again, no holiday drama. There's still some surprising the Boy, but had this been one of those videotaped Christmas's, it would have been pretty boring. No screaming in surprise, no gasps of shock/joy. Just a lot of contentment. And that's not bad.

930AM - the breakfast comes out of the oven, the cinnamon syrup is made and warm, and we gather around the table. We give thanks as a family for this day and then we eat. Within ten minutes, the phone is ringing. As suspected it was one of the Boy's friend's, calling to check on how the Boy made out. To the Boy's credit, he did say that he'd have to call him back, without getting the eye from either parent. Suffice to say, his breakfast moved quicker from there.

1000AM - the movement of gifts to rooms begins. iHomes need to be set up, DVD's need to be watched, clothes need to be modeled. I'm still befuddled, and a little bit frightened, frankly, by my eldest daughter's new four-inch heeled shoes. I am real curious to see how she is going to negotiate the hill up to campus in those, but who am I to ask?

100PM - The puzzle table is set up. It gets worked on little by little. The sun is now shining brilliantly. It's reflecting off the mounds and mounds of snow that cover our front yard. It looks deceptively warm. It's not - it's only about four (4) degrees outside, gracias to the windchill.

It's quiet and peaceful here. It's Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all!