Merry Christmas 2010

I am up early Christmas morning typing away on this blog.
Sleep eludes me.
I woke up every few hours in the night. noticed that the kitchen light was on even though I turned it off each time, someone else was struggling with ZZZzzz's too.
I know it was our son Ryan, he doesn't turn lights off very well.
Sure enough when I got up to come write on the blog, he was awake on the downstairs couch.
Yesterday was so much fun that everyone was keyed up.
The McDowell children left about 12:45 A.M. and we be bopped around putting last minute touches on gifts and placing them under our tree.
it was fun to watch our grown children do this. Joan and I had to wait til they finished to do ours.
Today should prove to be a fun and exciting day.
I finally got everyone outta bed around 9 AM. Lots of gifts and fun.
Katie made a bet with Eric & Ryan that there would be snow on the ground on Christmas day. The loser of the bet had to jump into Pipe lake.
Here is the person that got all wet!Brr... lucky for her it is an exceptionally warm Winter!

Joan and I pulled a fast one on our son Ryan. I had talked with him about getting a fly fishing rod for Katie, during the conversation Ryan let it be known that he would like one too. I told him that I was sorry but we had already gotten his gift.
Last week I went shopping with Ryan and he mentioned wanting a fly rod again. Again I told him that we had already gotten his gift.

Well today as he watched both Eric and Katie open their new fly rods, he was kind of bummed, until I sprang one on him, his face lit up like a Christmas tree!
It was priceless!
I scored some nice magic stuff.
A wonderful new book about the life and magic times of Del Ray, and three dozen decks of cards... three dozen... wow...
Everyone enjoyed our first Christmas together as a whole family for the first time in five years!

It is so easy to forget the reason for this celebration.
It is easy to forget the abundance that we enjoy in America.
So, as I walk thru this day I will try to keep focus on the birth of Christ and what that means to and for me.
Merry Christmas one and all!