So where was I? Oh yes, we are finished with Christmas Eve antics and headed home. Unfortunately, the out-of-town Delaneys had to leave in the morning, but it was really great to see them all and get updated on what's going on with them. I can't believe how big my cousins are getting! Voices have changed, growth spurts are in progress, and I'm still stuck on them being toddlers. I'm getting very old.
Anyway, we say our goodbyes and head home. Dad always leaves way before Mom and I do, so he's already in bed by the time we get there. Mom and I then let the dogs out and review the evening and talk about how big the kids are getting, how nice it was to see everyone, and how the men can't get off the couch to do anything. Then we go to bed.
When I was young, we'd get up on Christmas morning, and stockings were waiting for us on the couch. Santa had left our presents under the tree, unwrapped. We'd be all excited and stuff. But now that we're grown ups, Santa doesn't stop at our house. We told him a while ago that he should spend more time on the kids, and we'd be OK without stockings and stuff. He appreciated that. The other big change is that now we pretty much get ready for the day before we do the presents. That way Carol and Bryan and the kids can do their Christmas and get ready before they head to our house. Except this year was a little different because Branden was at his mom's, so Bryan picked him up and brought him straight to our house. They went from our house to their house to do their Christmas. But this blog is about me, so we'll focus on my activities :)
Finally Bryan and Branden showed up, with Branden's big present--a dirt bike--in Bryan's truck. Branden wasn't too excited about the dirt bike, because it is much too big for him and he's not allowed to ride it until he's bigger. Poor kid! He was very excited, though, about his "Wheelies", and was demonstrating them to us when Carol and Gracie arrived and he ran out the door to say hi to his sister. We plopped the kids on the floor and arranged the grown ups for the best viewing, and herded the dogs out of the way as much as possible. Gracie just dug right in to one of her presents, so Carol played "Santa" and we all started opening stuff. It was a little hectic because Tyler gets real excited when stuff starts happening, so he sort of jumped in the action and knocked Gracie over a little. I had him open his present (yes, Tyler not only gets presents, he actually opens them himself. He's the Wonder Puppy!), but even the allure of fresh rawhide bones couldn't tear him away from the action. So Dad got custody of him and held him in place on the couch until we were done.
My Mom, being the Grandma that she is, realized at some point that Branden might be hungry, so she asked him if he wanted something to eat. He sure did, and when she mentioned an egg sandwich, his eyes lit up. Turns out Branden loves egg sandwiches. So while he was waiting for his sandwich, we took some family pics, which we haven't done since Carol and Bryan's wedding. Branden was excited to take some pictures too. He loves my camera. We go way back with the camera. In fact, the first time I met Branden was also when I first got my first digital camera. We both had a great time trying it out. He was four and super cute! And he took great pictures. He still does. Someday he will have his own camera, but he's at that age where he either loses or breaks everything he has, so he's not quite ready for one :) Anyway, this blog is about Christmas, so I'll move on.
After Branden finished his sandwich it was time for them to go home to do their Christmas. Mom, Dad and I headed to Grandma and Grandpa Ireland's for the Ireland Christmas Open House. Carol and her fam didn't go this year, because Carol was still getting over bronchitis and Gracie was getting congested, and we can't go to Grandma I's house if we even think we're getting sick. Her immune system is shot due to her emphazyma (I know I spelled that wrong), and any sort of illness will send her to the hospital. Anyway, in years past, this gathering was HUGE, as my Mom has 8 brothers and sisters, and all of them have kids. And we'd all manage to get there around the same time. The little grandkids would get boxes full of craft stuff under the tree, and the older grandkids would get $5 (in those days, $5 went a lot further)--Grandma would hand out the envelopes as we sat down in either the living room or the front room. Over the years, this sort of faded away, because the older grandkids stopped coming, and the little ones got bigger.
But the gathering is not about the presents, it's about the food. You don't mess with the Ireland family's food. We have ham, baked beans, meatballs, potato salad, deviled eggs, relishes, and gobs of cookies and candies. This all used to be made by Grandma with some help from Grandpa, but over the years, responsibility has shifted to Grandpa and my Aunt Kim and my Mom. Grandma supervises. I got to witness this supervision last year. Grandma still has her old piss and vinegar in her! Anyway, this year was nice. We weren't very crowded--actually, we weren't crowded at all. Folks came and went and we all chatted and had a nice time. There is one particular family member who is not very pleasant and who really doesn't like my Mom, and she made me mad, but I just went to the kitchen and talked to the Brockmans. Dr. Bob tried to fix my headache, and Kim told me about this salad dressing that she gets that doesn't have soy in it. Grandma joined us, and she looked tired. But she held up well, so did Grandpa. At some point I headed home to let the dogs out.
Then we head to Grandma Delaney's again for Christmas roast. Grandma makes the best roast ever, and there is no food like food at Grandma's house. Which is probably a good thing, because i can feel my arteries clog with each bite! But oh, is it good. This year I could smell the goodness all the way outside as I headed in. Carol and Gracie were there already (Bryan and Branden stay at his family's house), and so was Aunt Mildred. She's Grandma's older sister, and she's still spry at 92 years old. Dianne and Beth were also there helping with dinner prep, and of course the men were watching football. We had a great time chatting and eating. Then we cleaned up (with the men still watching football) and chatted some more. Gracie charmed us the entire time. And then we went home, ready to be done with Christmas. But I was happy because for the first time in years I was able to make it the entire time! Usually my fibromyalgia or migraines kick in and I have to cut out early--the stress and sugar really do me in. But this year I held out quite well. Yay for Christmas!
It was a good Christmas. It was nice to see family, especially family I only get to see once a year or so. Grandma Delaney gave each of us a special ornament with a note to hang the ornament on our trees and remember her and say a prayer for her each year when we hang it. Tears were everywhere, but it was a good reminder for all of us that this time we have together is precious. We never know when it will be the last. Grandma Ireland went into the hospital two days after Christmas and really gave us a scare. Thankfully it was "just" pnumonia (again, i can't spell), and she responded to the antibiotics after a day of treatment. She got out of the hospital this past Monday. But it was another reminder that we need to really enjoy the times we have together. Christmas isn't about the presents, it's about the joy of giving, of making each other smile, and spending time with loved ones. That's why it's my favorite time of the year!
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