Santa Arrives!

Hi!

Well, Santa came early at my folks for my nieces since they celebrate with their mom on Christmas day. My little niece was so excited when she woke up to open up her stocking & presents. It was hard to get her to wait until we woke up everyone...just like me! :-) Santa brought her a little stuffed Cheetah (Cheetah Girls craze!), candy of course, Enchanted Soundtrack & Kelly Clarkson CD...which she did not remember asking Santa for...ugh! Good thing...it wasn't the new one & I thought it was, though I don't think she specified which to Santa so ok on a technicality. She also loved the Rockettes book Santa brought her! Santa brought her auntie & her :-) The Sound of Music Companion Book!

Then she got Ratatoullie PS2 game which her uncle let her open early so she could play with it. She went nuts when she opened the High School Musical Dance Mat I got her! :-) Grandma & Pappa got her a NEW BIKE...which Pappa could not wait to give to her & she also went nuts over though she went picking some out the day before. It was purple & a 16 speed I think. It was a good thing I had that CX7 rental to put the bike into or I don't know how we would have gotten it home? She was so excited to show everyone as they came over during the day. Pappa & Grandma had also surprised her when she came over with a new bedroom set, which was not a christmas present but just something she needed so she has had quite a weekend.


When my older niece came she right away went to Pappa & said Happy Birthday! Yep, it was his b-day! Oh boy, I was soooo surprised and I KNOW he was sooo thrilled. She was so excited about it. She opened her stocking first & found the teddy bear I got her with the green tosselled hat. She loved it & wanted the hat to be in her size. It meant so much to me that she loved it since that was the last present I bought just before my accident & I had to have Chris get it out of my SUV before I left. She then found the Long hand knit socks I had shipped from Geneva. I saw them & didn't get them & then when I found the bear I knew they would match. They came in on Fri and she loved them also! My heart felt sooo warm when she loved them. My brother & I had gotten her a lime green IHome alarm clock. She loved it! I was sooo happy. It is a part of her b-day gift also. Her other Auntie got her clothes. I think Pappa & Grandma gave her some clothese from Aeropostle - Monkey stuff & a gift card. Teenagers seem to love that too! HA!

Later there daddy came over & he got my little niece a digital camera with rhinestones on it...she went nuts! "I can't believe I got a digital camera!" :-) I'm so glad she loved that so much since it was from her daddy. Oh her uncle did get her a holiday barbie and a set of like 6 other dolls she liked. My older niece I think got a gift card for her Ipod. My bro got me a Pink Cancer Better Homes & Garden Cookbook with a free subscription to the magazine & then a Bad Cat Daily Calendar. Cute! I got him some clothes & a watch. His girlfriend seemed to like the v-sweat shirt & Victoria Secret body stuff my brother & I got her. She really loved the Heavenly stuff in a purse my folks got her. Her daughter called the next day thanking us for her items also.

Before dinner we do our traditional Oplatki custom. It is a wafer that you break off from each other & wish them good fortunes the coming year. Then we had our traditional Polish Christmas dinner of Pierogi (Cheese, Sauerkrat, and Potato), which I realized I could call "Hot Pockets" for my nieces...I mean really...and Borsch with potatos & onions. Mom made some Polish sausage & there were tons of veggies. Somehow Mac & Cheese got on the table too...I think my older niece made it! HA! We also had some warm Christmas wine from Geneva...it is a German wine...very good.

Dad's birthday is today & traditionally we would have tons of peole over when I was a kid! I don't know but over 50! My dad turned 69 this year. Igot him this really cool brown wool hat not a cowboy hat but big brim...which my mom immediately said he could not wear around the neighborhood in AZ because there were too many woman already calling him to help them out....apparently she thinks he looks hot in it. I love it! I got Chris one too! I got him some brown shirts too that will look awesome on him I think. I'm hoping my dad likes them all. It always takes him like 2 weeks before he tries things on, but they have to leave on the 12th so I'm hoping he does try them on soon.

The girls & my brother left about 9pm. Oh...my niece had told us she slide on ice last week also & hit a tree! She had her side front panel in the back seat! Ugh! She was ok. We relaxed a bit & cleaned up & then we headed to Midnight Mass...which I was sooooo happy. I LOVE going to Midnight Mass! We use to as a kid & it is just so beautiful to me. My heart loves it. Our church has like 28 Christmas Trees up! I am waiting for my bro to email me pictures so I can post them. I really liked the homily this year. The priest was talking about a little girl that was at a mass earlier in the day & she was up in front dancing & twirling etc. He watched her so much he said & realized that is how we should be dancing & celebrating God & life. I totally agree. Hard sometimes but as much as we can! I remember one year when I was probably early 20s they were chanting the years at the beginning of the mass leading up to Christ's birth & these guys were standing next to me & I think were nipping at some holiday eggnog & one said, "Wake me up when they get to my birthday!" OMG...I could not stop laughing. And they kept cracking jokes the whole service.

Well, when we got home Santa had to get busy with the stockings & then he collapsed until like 10:30 in the morning! HA! Well next post will be Santa Makes a 2nd Stop...Christmas morning for the rest of us! :-)

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