Christmas day 2012

A very nice Christmas was had by our clan. I woke up early and Jane and I kind of just sat around and enjoyed being home together for a bit. Then we got the text that we could head over to the Feipel house. So we went arrived there at 9 am and saw the presents Anna and Bennett got. Anna got a play kitchen and a few smaller items, and Bennett... well, he got to be there. :) Carrie made us breakfast and we had a good time. Then around 11 we headed back to our house, waited for uncle/son Isaac, and the Feipels eventually came over.

We had a choice between vegetable or potato soup, and a smorgasbord of munchie type food. It was all very good (as usual), and the eggnog was perhaps the best I've ever had. We had lunch first, then headed to the basement and opened presents.

I made an excellent haul. The first picture below will show the classic USI t-shirt that I've been wanting, along with the cookie tin, peanuts, and 2 scarves. The next pic is of the uber-classic Jason & the Scorchers "Fervor" album that son Isaac snagged for me in Nashville. And the last one is a framed picture of my favorite view in all the world that Jane got me: from my parents back yard (where I grew up) out over the countryside towards where Jane grew up. I was speechless when I opened it, and did my best to hold back the tears. What a great present. I also received some money from my parents, and we got tickets to see the Blind Boys of Alabama from Isaac (which came Saturday). Perhaps one of my best Christmases as far as presents go. I didn't get a single useless/meaningless gift. They were all just excellent. Everything else was pretty darn good too.

Jane and I weren't supposed to get each other anything because we're planning to get a new computer, but she got me the scarves and the picture, and I got her the usual Ansel Adams calendar. We gave the kids mostly money and a few other smallish items. We got Anna an Elmo doll, some clothes, and a few other small things. And Bennett got a couple outfits and a little sheep.

Otherwise, we mostly just lazed around all day. We watched some Christmas movies, a little NBA ball, played with the kids, napped for a bit, and we boys played some cutthroat pool for awhile. We also brought all the food downstairs in the big room and kind of just grazed all afternoon and evening. I think everyone left around 8 pm.

So, all in all, a very nice day. Now we are anxiously awaiting Isaac & Ricci's train trip to San Francisco. The only bad part is that Jane was supposed to have today off, but she was awakened to a text that someone is sick, so I guess she'll be going in to work afterall. :(

Here are the pics of my presents: