Yes DeeMarie Jen Donna Tikanas (it usually does not take that long Besh!) Patti Marci - it came today! Besh (it didn't take that long Tikanas!) Raeanne - it came today! No NH Suzanne I can't imagine that Maddie would forget, as she is the top chief/liaison/organizer/coordinator/get-it-together and fly girl. Dee - I am sure you could tell Rich a few things, so my lips are sealed. Besh - enjoy your well deserved time off. Tikanis - I agree with not working out while sick. I missed working out so much that I think I rushed it. NH Suzanne - I loved the photos, thanks. Marci - enjoy your time off. Sounds like you might have your hands full this year. Jen - I received the package today. Now I can't wait to open it LOL. I will wait to see if we hear from Suzanne or Maddie about opening up, but now that MY package has arrived I'm not making any promises LOL.

Lynn~Glad that you made it back it one piece & that DH was able to recover his wallet. There are still some good people in the world today. Besh~My toes are defrosted for now. LOL I don't think that I have very good blood flow in my broken foot yet. Dave said that it was cold last night but the knee that is giving me trouble was hot according to him. I'm reading the "Chronicles of Narnia" & it is so long that it is taking me a while but I'm really enjoying it. I don't know about Carrabelle, FL. I don't know much about the panhandle. Marci~I need to get with you so that we can figure out how to post some of the pictures of my little one. Let me know when you are coming to Tampa. Jen~It sounds like you got some really good gifts. I am supposed to be working on a scrapbook for Dave's parents' 50th wedding anniversary in July. I haven't been able to find the book. I may have to get it off the 'Net. QOD~My 16-y.o. niece is in Orlando playing soccer & we will probably go watch her or at least go & take her out to do something fun. She is a doll. She stays so busy that she doesn't have time to get in trouble. She is in the band, the school's soccer team & band & she has several of the honor's classes & she runs track, then she is in one of the soccer teams that is exclusive & you have to be picked & like this weekend, they go places for competition. Then Dave & I plan to watch movies & have some of the pomegranate martinis then we will have some Asti Spumanti while watching Dick Clark's show & toast in the New Year. This is pretty much a tradition for us. We were pretty sad the year that Dick Clark was too sick to do the show himself. I have to say that I am so thankful for good friends like each of you. With your help, I will get healthier this year. I'm having an MRI done on my knee on Tuesday. They will probably say that nothing is wrong but it has still been hurting along with my foot. I can tell that they are healing though. Love you each. Happy New Year. Patti :)

Looks delicious Ann! And I bet it's wonderful with Sharon's chili sauce. I love meat pies and I'm sure that is a really special recipe. I still have to convince Wolf to learn to like meat under pastry though. He won't even eat sausage rolls, but I do still keep trying. The tourtière would be a good Christmas tradition for my family as well as they all love meat pies. My French Canadian school friends always had it for Christmas Eve. SharonCb

Christmas Eve was (and still is) magical to me. As a child we would go to my grandmother's and have a buffet of baked ham, deviled eggs, potato salad, home made baked beans and her famous chocolate cake. Then we got to open the gifts from my grandparents, aunt & uncle (they were teens when we were kids). My grandmother's house was filled with family heirlooms and was so warm and cozy when lit up for Christmas. She had a fireplace in both the kitchen and living room and they both were blazing. It seemed liked it always snowed on Christmas Eve in those days, and I can remember carolers coming to the door. Not to be a downer, but my Dad was an alcoholic and my parents fought a lot in the weeks before Christmas because of all the "festivities". I never knew if we were going to have a Christmas at all. Then, somehow, they always made up on Christmas Eve. I attributed it to the magic of my Grandmother's house. Grandma is now gone, but I have taken over the Christmas Eve tradition. I follow her exact menu (with a few additions). We go to a candlelit service at 5:30, and then all my siblings come over with their kids. We tortue the kids by eating first, and then they each get to open a gift (we do a gift exchange). My parents and even my 102 year old grandfather attend and get the biggest kick out of watching the kids. It is a lot of work, but worth every minute spent preparing.