Holidays and this and that.

 Hello friends, I'm sorry it's been so long, just a lot of busyness of life plus navigating around all these crazy restrictions. Thanksgiving was nice and quiet.We were going to have relatives come, but one has to take immune suppressing meds, so taking a flight wouldn't be a very good idea, so it was just us.Several days before Thanksgiving we put up all of our Christmas decorations. That took three whole days. It was nice to have it all done before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving the kids helped make the food we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, pies and much more.We also watched several movies, ate a delicious meal, called relatives and then played games. It was wonderful and such a fun day.

The Christmas season was enjoyable although we all missed the usual things we normally do.We missed concerts and plays, Disney on ice, parties and get togethers and hockey. We did do some caroling outside of a nursing home.The people were so thrilled.We went to Zoolights and Port Gamble and went around neighborhoods looking at lights.We unfortunately didn't make it to Spanaway lights.Too many seizure days.We enjoyed spending time together,watching movies,making cookies and a gingerbread house, and sometimes going out to eat.

We still unfortunately have to eat outside in a tent when eating out so ridiculous! You can't sit in a restaurant social distanced apart but can all be crammed in a tent together it makes zero sense.Christmas eve and day were very nice.We watched movies and in the morning had our traditional Eggs Benedict and Strawberry Belgian Waffles.Ariel helped make the turkey and we opened gifts.Unfortunately she started having seizures and spent the rest of the day in bed,but at least she had a great morning.

 

She did end up getting nerve blocks before Christmas.My hubby got me an exercise bike for Christmas I wanted.It feels good to get some exercise.I miss ice skating and going to the gym,so it's nice to have this as we are in the throws of winter and it's way too cold to do much of anything outside.No snow yet though.

Michael hanging out at Port Gamble.We sure missed their Country Christmas event this year.

The deer family love hanging out in our yard getting the last of the apples from our trees.

 

 An amazing neighborhood display.

                        Getting a much needed nerve block.

             Singing carols for the residents of Cottesmore.

Hanging out at Bass Pro

Ariel loves this tortilla blanket Daniel got her.He also got her a yodeling pickle,which she also loves.Two days after Christmas Michael and Daniel got baptized.I was getting ready for church when Ariel had a Generalized Tonic Clonic or Grand Mal,so I wasn't able to go,but fortunately I was able to watch it online.

After that I did a deep cleaning in the house and took all the indoor Christmas decor down.It always feels nice to have a bit more space.Our house is not very big and with six adults living here it gets a bit crowded,especially since we're indoors so much in the winter.I put up some winter decor and got everything ready for New Years Eve.Even got my nails done.I've been getting them done since this summer first time in my life.It feels good to have pretty nails and toes.My gal Kissi does an amazing job.

We decided to get takeout from The Old Spaghetti Factory one of our favs and had some chips and dips,appetizers and dessert.We played games and watched movies and popped our poppers and blew our horns at midnight.The following day I made a prime rib dinner with twice baked potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls and sparkling cider and we all had fun opening crackers with party favors in them.

Since New Years we've been dealing with a lot of seizures from both Ariel and Daniel.Ariel started a new med that seems to have done nothing but make her seizures worse.We've also had some major family health issues.She has had more nerve blocks.She gets a new one on Monday and Gilbert had surgery for the third time on his foot.Hopefully it was finally done right this time.Before the surgery we celebrated his birthday.

Ariel finally got her new front tooth.She was supposed to get it like a month before,but unfortunately started having seizures at the dental office and so we had to reschedule.There's promise of things starting to open back up.Hopefully, Daniel and I really miss skating.

 Gilbert will be home for the next several months and I'm going to be reorganizing again.It's just challenging with everyone being home and it being too cold to use the yard.Nicholas is still working and loving his job.We will be celebrating his birthday soon.

Thank you for the continued prayers for our family.

Linn

Christmas

Hello friends,I know we are already almost into February,but I like to do a recap of the holidays even if I'm the only one who reads it,because in time it's nice to look back through the years at the memories.

Christmas Eve we always start by having a ham dinner.We use the ham the next morning for our traditional eggs Benedict.We also always have strawberry Belgian waffles and candy cane cocoa.Not sure how many years ago this tradition started I'm thinking like 10yrs ago and we've had the same breakfast every Christmas morning since.

We also either go to candlelight service or if we can't make that we watch a church service on T.V. and listen to Christmas concerts and watch some Christmas movies.Although I'm going to have to start doing those earlier in the month.We always put them off and then Christmas Eve and day are so busy we end up hardly watching any of them and after Christmas we just don't get around to it.Some of our favorites are:

A Christmas Story, ELF,The Santa Clause,Christmas in Connecticut old and newer version, Jingle All The Way, A Charlie Brown Christmas,Christmas Vacation (clean made for t.v. version) The Muppet Christmas Carol, Frosty The Snowman, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
How The Grinch Stole Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, Meet Me In St.Louis, Holiday Inn, Home Alone, White Christmas and some Hallmark gems Trading Christmas (One of Ariel's and my favorite Christmas movies) and Pete's Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we open stockings and usually one gift that is usually new pajamas.

Christmas morning after having our traditional breakfast we open gifts with Christmas music playing in the background.We all watch each other open the first gift and after that then we go to town unwrapping like crazy.

Ariel got a lot of Winnie The Pooh stuff, My Little Pony and Lego sets that her brothers put together for her.

 

Daniel it's usually hockey gear and maybe some movies he likes.

Michael it's artsy things like sketch books, colored pencils, paints, gift cards, movies

Nick mainly gets clothes and gift cards since he's on base and can't take a lot with him.I did find him this awesome blanket that I bought from The Key Peninsula Veterans.

                    Daniel's favorite NHL team.

  My guys got me some great Bruins jerseys and Ariel got me a beautiful red faux fur lined coat.

 Daisy was all prettied up ready for the festivities.

Gilbert it's Cabela's cards,Bass Pro cards and baseball hats,oh and an Army sweatshirt.

After watching movies and looking at the gifts we received we called all the relatives to wish them Merry Christmas and started on dinner.We do the traditional Turkey dinner with all the sides.Instead of making tons of pies like we do on Thanksgiving we eat all the Christmas goodies like all the cookies we made the day before,fudge things like that.We might have a cream pie or lemon meringue.

It was a lovely holiday and I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful family to share it with.