Well, it is the last day of the year and I still haven't written about Christmas - so here goes: I love, love, love Christmas time. I know everything is hectic, and I get so stressed out, but it is still my favorite time of the year. There is just something magical in the air! I love being with family and how everyone is on their best behavior! I also love all of the little traditions that we have set and how they stay with us through the years. I am always sad when Christmas comes to an end. When it is time to take all the decorations down, my house looks so drab and non-festive:(
Every year, we have a big Patterson family get-together on the Monday night before Christmas. This year it was at my house and we had 40 people here - and that wasn't even everyone! We always have soup, cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. I was so busy I didn't even get my camera out, but Don said he would send me pictures. When he does I will post them. We also had a little program. We played handbells and sang Christmas songs and then Nana told stories about when she was young. It was a great night!
Danny and Ryan working on the sugar cookies for Santa
Christmas Eve is spent with the McBride family plus all of the widows in our family (there are 3 of them). We have a progressive dinner every year. We started at Susie's with appetizers, main course at our house, and ended with dessert at Andy's. Everyone performs some sort of musical number at their own house. It is a lot of fun! Emily, Danny and Ryan performed "Away in a Manger" with Ryan singing, Danny on cello and Emily on the piano. It was very sweet. Emily made me cry. She wrote a Christmas song and performed it. It was beautiful. I will try and post the video we have of these performances.
All the kids in their new jammies. I love these pictures every year! Christmas was more sparse this year and it was still just as wonderful!
Santa brought Ryan 2 new Webkinz and some Bakugans!
Danny with Wii Music
Alex with his new watch
Taylor with his electric razor
Emily with her crockpot
This picture says it all!
Nana and the boys on Christmas morning
I am so glad we have all of these great traditions. The kids love it too, and if we ever suggest doing something a little different, they make sure we don't. For example: today is New Years Eve and we always go eat at a Chinese buffet in the afternoon. We suggested that maybe we go somewhere else today, but the kids don't want to have anything to do with that! So, we are off in a little while to go eat Chinese! I'm glad the kids like our traditions. It has been nice being a complete family again. We have all enjoyed Emily being here so much. We have had a lot of fun!
