The special Christmas edition!  Click on the picture links below to see pictures of what is happening during Christmas at our house.  I hope to put up new pictures several times a day, so check back.

 Merry Christmas!  With love from Steve, Pam, Ben, Greg, and Tom.

Tuesday afternoon. Peg and Howard arrive. Preparations are underway.

xmas1  Greg is getting ready to bake cookies, while Pam and Grandma start dinner.

xmas2  Tom and Colleen put up some ornaments on the tree.

xmas3  Peg and Howard arrived this afternoon (Tuesday) and plan to stay for Christmas dinner.

xmas4 Pam and Grandma wrap presents with the tree in the background. Steve put a big board on top of the couch to serve as a wrapping table.

xmas5 Our mantle decoration this year. It does not show up too well in this picture, but it is a nice white poinsettia on a bed of balsam boughs with small blue lights.

Wednesday afternoon. Ben and his extended family arrive about noon. Ben has requested a "grazing menu". Steve has put out a table with shimp, pizza, bulgogi, cheese, fruit, bacon, olives, roasted peppers, chicken fingers (for Vinny), and other miscellaneous food, not to mention a large assortment of cookies.

xmas6 Here is Pam with Kelly, Ben's girl friend, and Gavin, Goldie's son. Perhaps I should explain the relationships. Kelly has two daughters from a first husband, Goldie (21) and Majonica (18). Kelly has two boys from a second husband, Everet (13) and Vinny (12). Goldie has a son, Gavin, by a father that is not in the picture anymore. Goldie is going to college at Purdue. While she is there Ben and Kelly are taking care of Gavin. Yes, its complicated.

xmas7 The kids are opening presents. Greg and Danielle are in the background.

xmas8 Goldie has her chin in her hand. The kids are scrounging under the tree for presents. Maggie is in her usual place on the couch.

xmas9 Majonica is in the chair, and Vinny is in the foreground. Vinny is mildly autistic, is a great kid, but has very particular ideas about how things should be done. He likes routine. He is also a very, very picky eater, so Steve made chicken fingers and homemade french-fries for Vinny's Christmas eve lunch.

xmas10 Here is a better picture of Greg and Danielle, with Kelly in the foreground. Greg was a big help with the preparations. Last night we built a fire out back and Greg cooked the bulgogi via flashlight.

It is now Wednesday evening, about 8:00. Peg and Howard left for home early, about 2:00 this afternoon because the weather prediction was for a big storm along Rt 81 later this evening. Ben and his crew left about 3:30. Pam, Greg, Tom and Steve cleaned up, then played a game of Simpson's monopoly (new present). Tom won. Greg has gone over to Danielle's family. Tom is in his room back on the computer. Pam and Steve had leftovers for a light dinner. The webmaster is putting these pictures up and getting ready to relax with an OF, as taught by the Master.

Christmas morning. We all slept late. Did not get the turkey into the oven until almost 11:00. The kids opened presents. Steve made waffles for breakfast with his new waffle iron. Here are a few pictures.

xmas11 The tree on Christmas morning with all the presents underneath.

xmas12 If the photographer turns around, here is the view of the messy den. Our game table still has the monopoly game from last night.

xmas13 The kids opening their presents.

xmas14 Pam opening her present (a small multipurpose tool thing...Steve is a real romantic). Maggie is in her usual spot on the couch.

xmas15 Greg and Tom are going out sledding with some friends; here they are about to head out.