An awesome Christmas!!

I love it when our kids outdo themselves with their Christmas gifts. And the excitement they have takes me back when they were little girls -- so excited by the things they made for Mom and Dad -- knowing that those gifts are the most special.

Soooo ... last night, we celebrate Christmas with three of the girls. We all contributed to dinner -- a turkey (25 pounds so it will last ALL through the holiday season for sure), mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green salad, bread, and all kinds of Christmas goodies for desert. We decided to not have dressing/stuffing this time. Roxanne set the table complete with candlelight. I was finishing up dinner when I heard Tim and Sandi arrive with the strict instruction to me, "Stay in the kitchen!!" We have a somewhat open floor plan in our living room / dining room / living room so that meant I had to stay in one corner of my kitchen. I am not claustrophobic but having to stay right there for a little while was beginning to make me think I could become -- just a little claustrophobic. My sink looks into the living room which meant I couldn't even venture that far away from my corner. Hey, I was good when I was a kid and NEVER had to stand or stay in a corner. You'd think that after 58 years, I wouldn't have to do it now. I wondered if I might look like a dog or something when I heard the words, "Stay!"

I heard Tim call for Chris and Ron to help him and I was beginning to wonder 'what in the world' was going on. Then I heard them say they were going into my bedroom. Horrors! I had stuff all over the place from wrapping gifts and addressing Christmas card envelopes!! Finally, they said, "Okay, let's eat -- but, Mom, you have to stay out of your bedroom!!" Okay, then!!

We ate amidst lots of activity - when you have three boys, ages 4, 7 and 9, things can get a little hectic. I have a perfect racetrack in my house -- even though there are a couple steps along the way, they never seem to lose momentum!! So, we ate and then the girls just couldn't wait anymore! "Mom, you gotta see this!!" And this is what I found in my bedroom! The perfect gift since I have been wanting to get one for quite a while and know it is really necessary if I am going to stay healthy and drop some of those unnecessary pounds that seem to be so stubborn to lose.

They did tell me that it was just one part of my gift but quite frankly, this was rather overwhelming to say the least. I have been wanting to walk more but it seems to easy to put off going to the mall to walk or going around our neighborhood. I have NO more excuses!! And that is good!

We shared more gifts and had lots of fun and laughter -- again, sometimes amid boys having fun or acting more like brothers than cousins! They love each other but can also irritate each other in a heartbeat! If it gets too crazy for me, I just go in another room for a few minutes .. take a deep breath and enter the fray again!

The girls handed me a box that weighed nothing at all! I thought .. what in the world is this? Just a bunch of air although if you shook it, there was some slight movement. Inside, I found this:

This certificate entitles

Mom

to a

"Girls' Weekend (or weeknights) Away"

From the women in your life --

Roxanne, Sandi, Teri and Shonna

and Rachel will be joing us as well!!

Merry Christmas!!

Wow, what a gift!! I enjoy friends but the most fun I have is spending time with my girls and my sister. We laugh -- we can talk (all of us a mile a minute -- scary, huh?) I'm sure we will have a great time -- what greater gift could I ask for -- and the treadmill was just the icing on the cake -- or Christmas cookies! Thanks, girls, for an awesome Christmas already! I am indeed blessed beyond measure!!