A New Experience

This year is a new experience for my family. Every year for as long as I can remember we have had Christmas at Grandma's. With her passing this year, we are trying to establish new traditions.

I asked Jenna, "What is your favorite meal?" Of course, I already knew the answer.....spaghetti.

I would have asked Tyler, but I knew his was Mexican, and we have been eating leftover taco meat from Jenna's fifth grade Christmas party til I greet everyone with "Hola!" now.

Tyler got to pick the dessert.....which, of course, I knew to be "Chocolate Delight" (This is the "G-rated" name for the recipe: Sex-in-a-Pan).

So, yesterday, as part of our new family tradition, we went to see a movie in the theatre as a family. We saw "National Treasure: Book of Secrets". We then went out for dinner to our favorite restaurant, Cafe del Rio's. We love their awesome cheese dip with chips....I had chicken quesedillas (notice no taco meat was in the menu). Then we went to Wal-mart on Christmas Eve for a few last minute groceries for the new traditional meal for our Christmas dinner.

I was walking non-chalantly through Wal-mart without any present purchase in mind. People were pushing. There was not one smile to see. I passed the jewelry counter and made an observation. There were approximately six men over the age of 30 trying to get the salesclerk's attention. They all had wild eyes and a definite hurried, panic, "I need a gift and you are my last hope"-look to their faces. I felt evil, but I had to laugh at their desperation.

When I told Jeff about it, he did not think it was that funny. He immediately felt sympathy and said, "You know, alot of guys don't get their bonuses until Christmas Eve".

We all woke up this morning, and low and behold, Santa hadn't come. I panicked for the first five seconds, and realised....this is our Christmas...new traditions....a new experience.... So instead of Santa Claus....we had the "Magic Closet". (You have to be one sharp cookie in this family.) Jenna even got into it and said "Magic Closet" with Jazz fingers in a big fanned way. Most of the gifts were Wal-mart bag wrapped....oops. I've been sleeping way more than usual, lately.....but, hey, we are into new traditions. We saved a bundle on Christmas wrap and tape this year, and the kids were okay with it.

Well, I've got spaghetti and Chocolate Delight on tap for a noon meal. We've got 24 hours of James Bond on the television. It may not be an old fashioned Christmas, but we are all healthy and happy and have much for which to be thankful. Hope you have a very, Merry Christmas, and enjoy our pictures to the right!!!!