Christmas Image Show

Christmas was such a whirlwind I can hardly believe it's come and gone already... but lucky I have lots of photographic evidence to show for it. Here was my Christmas, in a nutshell.

Exchanging presents with the circle of friends was a bit scattered this year, but we managed to make it over to Melanie and AJ's house for some festivities.

Amanda is super excited about her wrapping paper:

Cookies, made by Melanie, devoured by all of us.


Soooooooo good:


Deb and AJ share a fist bump:
Home for Christmas! Christmas Eve began with the traditional pomegranate martinis before church, prepared by Judith. (That way we're nice and liquored up for the ceremony...)


Taking pictures in front of the pre-decorated tree. (l-r: Mom, Judith, Joseph, me, Dad)


I didn't get many pictures of the rest of the evening-- presumably I was too tipsy to care. But we went to church and then Matt & Weas came over for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner: marinated flank steak, green beans, twice baked potatoes and croissants. We then decorated the tree (and the rest of the living room, Joseph Isaac) and hit the hay, tuckered out from a long day of driving, eating, drinking and all other sorts of merriment.

We slept in Christmas morning, but finally got around to opening those presents!

I am very excited about my new winter coat:


New T-shirts for Dad:


Deb got a case of her favorite beer!


Joseph is opening up the table foosball set I got him:


Even Hyde got in on the action, unwrapping his own new toy from his "sister", Molly the dog.


After presents, Mom got to work on Christmas morning breakfast. (Look at that ham!)


And Dad enjoyed Jonathan's present to Joseph: Esquire The Rules: A Man's Guide to Life. Perhaps a little too much:


Hyde went for a walk on the very slippery driveway:


And Molly helped Dad get the mail:


Hyde wanted to help with the mail too:


After Christmas morning, we moved to Aunt Eunice's house for more festivities.

Joseph broke out one of his stocking stuffers, a selection of Play-Doh, and he and the girls got to work making fun shapes:


I think this is an alligator that Rachel made. Or maybe a kitty cat. Hard to tell:


Harper was psyched to open her gifts:


Dinner was delicious, but dessert was a triumph: Uncle Jim made apple dumplings. They were AWESOME!

Back from Aunt Eunice's, Joseph and Deb decided to try out the table foosball game:


And naturally we had to play cards. We're really into a new game that Deb taught us at Thanksgiving, called Golf.


I think I won this hand:

Christmas was a crazy time, but it was so good to see the family again. Now I want to sleep for a week, but things are pretty busy here at the theater.

Wake me up January 5th-- that's my next "real" day off. Phew.