Fred’s dad and stepmother’s xmas tree.
Tuesday morning was spent at Fred’s mother and stepfather’s house, and Tuesday evening was spent at Fred’s father and stepmother’s house. (My parents, sister, and Brian spent the day at my aunt’s house) We got lots of loot and visited with the family, and in between the two trips, I made sweet potato casserole (which was a tad soupy, because instead of baking the potatoes and then peeling them, I peeled them and boiled them, thus making them soupy, but it turned out pretty good anyway) and a poppy seed cake for us to have on Christmas day.
Fred’s mother and stepfather’s cat, Graystone, who has the coolest markings.
I thought this picture came out pretty cool.
Fred’s dad and stepmother’s mantel.
Tuesday night, my mother, sister and I did stockings for everyone, then piled everything around the tree. We’d agreed that present-opening would begin at 8, and so I stayed up until about midnight reading.
Our little Christmas tree.
Wednesday morning at 7:30, Fred came upstairs, woke me up, and told me that everyone was up and had opened their stockings. I groaned about not wanting to get up, rolled around on the bed for a while, then took my shower and came downstairs, where I opened my stocking, then we began opening presents. I got tons of stuff, but I’m not going to list it all here, ’cause I don’t feel like it. So there!
Brian and the spud each got one of these little stuffed cats, which are soft and adorable.
We sat around for part of the day, and then around 3:30, left the house – Debbie, my mother, the spud, Brian and I – to see Maid in Manhattan. Cute movie.
On the way out of the theater, the spud showed me her finger, and I decided to drop my mother and Brian off at home, then take her to the emergency room.
The spud’s nasty nail.
We sat around the emergency room for forever and a day, and then the doctor came in to check out the spud’s finger, and then poked holes in the fingernail with a needle.
We ended up spending about 4 hours at the emergency room, because it was packed, and it was about 10:30 by the time we got home.
Thursday, Debbie and I left the house at 7:30 to do the cats at the pet store, then met up with everyone else at IHOP, and then my father and Brian came back to the house, and Debbie, the spud, and I went shopping at the mall. And at Old Navy. And at Linens ‘N Things. And I must say that those after-Christmas sales just kick all kinds of ass, because I bought a ton of presents for next year.
We went home, hung around for a little while, and then went out to dinner at Lonestar. After, my father and Brian went home, and my mother, Debbie, the spud and I did some more shopping. That’s right, two more hours of shopping! Amazing, is what that was, considering how much I hate shopping.
Friday, we met my aunt at Cracker Barrel for breakfast, then went to her house for a few hours, and met her new – adorable as hell – puppy. Leaving there, we went to Walmart, then home for a few hours before going back out. My mother, Debbie, and I went to see Two Week Notice (funny as hell, it was), and my father took the kids to see Die Another Day. When our movie was over, we went to the mall (yes, again!), then had dinner at Ruby Tuesday’s.
Can I just say that I fucking hate sitting and waiting for the check? Indeedy I do.
By the time we got home, it was 9, and both Debbie and my mother had to do a few loads of laundry.
Bright and early Saturday morning, after hugs all around, they were gone. I spent the better part of the morning putting Christmas stuff away and cleaning the house.
And that was my week.
The sky looked cool Friday afternoon… ]]>