Christmas with the Family

Christmas Eve we drove to Davis to spend Christmas with our nephew Tres and his family.  If you remember we had taken his parents to Davis on Wednesday. 

Everyone but Marty and me are Catholic. Christmas Eve Mass is their tradition.  We stayed home and made sure food would be ready for the feast planned for dinner.

We had shrimp salad, a 5 layer salad, broccoli casserole, lobster mac, spoon bread, and salt crusted prime rib.  For dessert, Marty’s crème brulee as requested by the children.

                                                           

Casey set beautiful tables for the  adults and children.  Each plate held a Christmas cracker.

                                                     

Hank and Ann with the grandchildren as they were leaving for Mass.

Tres and Ava ready for Mass.

Tres carving the prime rib.  His mother Ann watches.

Maryann, an Airman nurse, who works with Casey.  As you can see we had all kinds of cookies, fudge, and other goodies.

                                                                  

We have pulled the Christmas Crackers and are all wearing our crowns.

We turned out the lights to get the full effect of Marty torching the crème brulee.

                                           

More fire.  Hall really was amazed by the torch.  I think he wanted one for Christmas.

Annabella helping Uncle Marty.

The children are in bed and the elves are putting together toys.  Not easy after lots of wine.

Hall and Annabella disc0vering what Santa brought.

                                                                  

Ava playing with one of her gifts.

Ava carrying her baby doll, headed for Annabella’s doll.  She decided she liked hers best.

As you can see, Christmas is great with little children and family.  We laughed, took gobs of pictures, eat way too much food, drank just the right amount of great wines, and had a lovely time.

Now we are home where it is very quiet and peaceful.  That is a good thing, also a bad thing.  Miss the family. 

Tres and his family will probably be in Turkey next year.  He has been told they will be transferred in early summer to Turkey.  Things change in the Air Force and they could end up somewhere else.  But is is pretty certain they will not be at Travis much longer.  Really will miss our family being so close.

Annabella said, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Annabella is our great niece.  Her Dad is a pilot stationed at Travis Air Force Base.  When I first met Annabella last year she was three years old.  She asked if I had a guest room for her. A few months later she and her family came for brunch, the first thing she wanted to see was the guest room.  It seemed to pass muster.

Her big brother had made the trip alone to see grandparents last month.  She is too young to fly without an adult.  I thought I would give her a little trip this weekend.  We planned to pick her up Saturday morning to visit us.  Her family would come for lunch on Sunday and take her home.  Dad thought she would want to come. 

I had a few plans, just in case she hated something.  We had a Plan A, B, and C.  Plan A was take her to Children's Fairyland.  This is the place that inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland.  Plan B,  Smurfs.  Plan C, put her at the kitchen table with a computer and earphones and stream movies from Netflix.  We won't tell her parents about that one.

 Dad Tres called us.  Bella doesn't want to spend the night.  It is just too big a step for a four year old.  I understand.  I was the kid the parents had to come pick up when it was bedtime.  I am disappointed.  But better Bella likes the idea than Bella come and get homesick and have an hour's drive home crying. 

THE WEEKEND

Marty and I have had a fairly normal weekend, for the first time in weeks. He made glass Saturday and I did laundry and ironed a hundred shirts. Well, maybe 9 shirts and one pair of Dockers.

It was a weekend of emails and phone calls. Family news was sent/told to us. Our nephew and his wife are pregnant again. And they possibly will be transferred in the last part of the pregnancy. If this move happens they will be at Travis Air Force Base. We are thrilled they will be that close to us for many reasons. We will have them close, and they are a fun couple. Also my brother and his lovely wife will be out here as often as possible. Nothing like grand kids to get them on a plane. If this all comes together, Christmas dinner at my house this year.

Marty and I did our Sunday thing and went to the movies. We had lunch there, hot dogs, coke, and popcorn. It just doesn't get any better. We saw Sherlock Holmes. It was fun, tense, and intelligent. I missed parts of it because of the violence and the gross stuff (dead rats, dead frogs, etc., lots of blood,). Yes, I watched parts of it with my hands over my face. Marty and I were pleased that all the mysteries of the "magic" were explained. I know this was filmed with the thought of a franchise. That's OK with us. We would go see Robert Downey, Jr. read the phone book. Bring on the sequels.