Hope everyone is on the mend. It stinks getting sick during the holidays..... Hubby came down with the barffy 24-hour flu at our daughter's over Christmas a few years ago. How inconvenient.

We're excited to have 4 unexpected guests coming this afternoon. That should liven things up a bit. Our daughter's best friend from school and her family will be stopping by on their way to a family event later tonight. It will be fun to see everyone.

So sorry to hear about Amber and Alyssa. That kind of puts a damper on things. I remember one year many moons ago when all the kids were sick. They could hardly pick their heads up, sprawled out on the sofa and definitely weren't interested in the presents. I have a headache and much to do. Hopefully I get moving soon.

Being sick at Christmas time is the worst! I hope they shake it quickly and feel better. Son is already home. Daughter and boyfriend are coming in the morning. We will all go to Mass together at 9 am. Then home to open gifts, eat, eat, nap, eat, eat, have some family come and visit, eat, eat, have a fire pit Christmas night since it's freaking 70 degrees here. And will have some wine tossed in for good measure.

I hope everyone has a very blessed, healthy, Merry Christmas.

Darn, that's bad timing for a virus. I hope everyone is on the mend soon. Maybe you can combine New Years and Christmas and still have a wonderful family celebration. It seems I've heard of more early - or later- Christmas events this year due to weather/travel plans, illness, just the logistics of getting people together than some years. If my BIL and wife hadn't decided to come last weekend early and extend their stay, I think they would have missed their first grandchild's first Christmas - all the mountain passes between here and Idaho where they live now are closed again today, heavy snow.

Things are moving along here. I have some laundry going, 3 more pies to bake for tomorrow. Food for tonight is ready, we'll go about 3:30 to eldest SILs and help her with any last minute dinner prep. Somewhere today I need to pack an overnight bag, we'll drive 3 hrs in the morning to my brothers, spend the night and not try to come home again same day.

Oh, I'm sorry to read that. Is it the awful stomach bug I've heard about? I still need to wrap so I'd better get to it! Stay well, everyone.

Thank you all for the well wishes for Amber and Alyssa. The doctor finally called in antibiotics for them both so we hope that will really help them. No it is not the stomach flu. I think tomorrow Cheryl and I will fix a small meal and take some over to them in to go boxes. Nothing fancy.

Sue

So sorry. Sending thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Well we woke up today with no hot water. Dh and I went downstairs and there was water in the pan we have under the hot water heater. I called the company that installed it in '08 and she said it still had a warranty, but they only had a cancellation list for today. About an hour later they called to say they were on their way. I had looked in my regular filing cabinet for the paperwork but could not find it. When they got here they said they really needed the paperwork since their office is now closed. They said if we couldn't find it they would have to wait until Monday and it would be around $1,500. I decided to look in my bundled paperwork I have organized by years in tubs in our storage room and I found it!!!!!! It has a 9 year warranty. The guy said he has worked for this company for 4 years and has never heard of a 9 year warranty. But it is getting repaired right now!!!!

I was going to start making a dip but I don't have any running water and can't wash the veggies...guess I will bake my cake.

Jewels how wonderful that you found the paperwork and that they are going to fix it!

Hope everyone is well by the time you have your get-together. The kids and I went to Orlando for their Christmas gift this year. I have a few stocking stuffers for them that I'll give them next week when we have dinner. Hopefully on New Year's day. Depends on if Alex has to work that day. Lauren and Alex are working today, I'm working tomorrow so we are having our dinner next week when it's convenient for everyone.

I feel for you, as I have been sick with a virus since Sunday. Today first day I really ate anything. Expect to be at the assisted living home where I live, this Christmas instead of family due to not feeling good and trying to get lots of rest. Gifts are there already so I will be receiving my later in the week. I do hope your family is betterl

No plans. My husband wants shrimp gumbo, so that is what we will eat. I hope the weather is still nice because I have so much to do and seems like we have had to do so much running this week, with doctor appointments, etc. My fractured ribs are finally better, and I would like to ride my horse.

Chestnuts are not quite roasting on the fire, but we are ready with the good feelings that we always have this time of the year. We had a dusting of snow here on the valley floor, and the foothills and mountain passes are challenging, so it is good to be "home" with our little tree and the sparkling gifts and lights. Hope everyone here is so blessed.

Well, last month, just before Thanksgiving, we had an unexpected expense of having to get a new car. THAT is our Christmas present. It's even a beautiful Christmas red! So, since neither of us have family here, we've decided to make it a fun full weekend of relaxing activities. This morning, we are going to see Starwars, then come home and I will make a sumptuous dinner of prime rib with all the trimmings. Tomorrow, we plan on taking an adventure by driving our Christmas present on a road trip wherever the road takes us, then to dinner at our favorite middle eastern restaurant. Sunday, we'll lunch at a new to us restaurant where they slice roasted meats off a skewer right onto your plate, and the whole main room of the restaurant is a salad bar. Not your traditional Christmas plans, but I'm looking forward to it.

Well, not sure right now. We got together with my side of the family yesterday and went to church last night. We are supposed to go to my daughters today for a big get together for my husband's side of the family. But my daughter called last night and said she is running a fever. If she is still sick today, we will bring the gifts over and we may take the grandkids with us to my MIL's. She won't mind having the Christmas there since all my hubby's siblings are there right now. Originally, the plans were to bring the meal to my daughters because she has little kids and we wanted them to be able to nap in their own beds. But now, we are not sure what is up. Dang flu!

My daughter is a teacher and she hasn't been sick all year. But wouldn't you know, her husband was sick earlier in the week with a fever and was down and out for about 3 days. Hopefully the little ones won't get sick. It could be that my granddaughter started it all when she had the flu which turned into pneumonia a couple of weeks ago. She's only 2 and you can imagine how worried we all were. She's doing great now. The six month old baby has a slight cold right now, but it may be due to teething. Hopefully he won't start running a fever now.

We gave up on Xmas Day years ago. We decided to go stress free by celebrating Russian Xmas on the closest weekend to January 7th which corresponds with December 25th on the Julian calendar. stores are open we don't have to deal with traffic and the kids can spend their day at home or with the inlaws.

It's 7:30 in the morning here. I'm on my second coffee as I've been wide awake since 5:45. My husband just woke up. My kids won't be here until close to noon, hopefully a little sooner. My grandson didn't nap yesterday and was here until 9:30 last night, so I have a feeling he will be sleeping late today. He's 2 and doesn't fully get the concept of Christmas, although when he saw all the gifts under our tree, he kept saying, 'OPEN! OPEN!' It was his birthday last month, so he does know there are goodies under all that pretty paper. I'm about to go jump in the shower now that the other half is awake. I need to bake some cookies and a cheesecake, get the stuffing ready....... so much to do. So little time.

I have smoked pork chops and dressing in the crock pot for dinner at noon. I turned the crock pot on at 7:30a and the porch chops don't seem to be cooking! I even pan fried them a little last night to brown them a little. This dressing recipe works great with chicken breast, so thought substituting thin chops would be ok. uh-oh.

I'm at work until 4:00 so it is just another Friday for me. But i am finally getting into the spirit of things.....so.....Jingle Bells and Ho Ho Ho