2008 is Already Over and Gone

Nonna Laura with grand god-son James Wood and granddaughter Mya Temple. My is 2 months older than James! He is a sturdy boy! son of my god-daughter Rachelle Wood.

Great pic of Veronica at the Sheraton Hotel at a company Christmas party with her friend.

Goodness... I have tried to post something during the holidays, I really have. Apparently my energy levels were just sorely lacking. It was a fight to get thru Christmas Eve, and I missed most of the services that day, but I did get the Seafood Gimelli on the table for after the service! Christmas & Pascha Eve are both the beginning of the end of the fast seasons, and we have seafood meals. But it's also important that it not be extravagant... special, but not extravagant. Seafood Gimelli seems to be just the ticket.

Vic had been in a slow dive, and by Christmas Eve, he was down for the count, so I was doing all the final preps mostly by myself. Veronica & Bianca were both down for the count too; and Christina went home with Alisha & Anthony as our well has been very, very low and the birthday girl needed to be ensured a luxurious birthday shower on Christmas morning.

I woke Christmas morning for church, and as woke, by body screamed and refused to allow me to function. I crawled back in bed and passed out until 11:00.

I did manage to drag myself out of bed in time to get Christmas brunch going before the crew came home. Orange rolls were baked, as were the mini-cheese sausages wrapped in biscuits. Alisha came in and put together the pepperoni, cheese, cracker and apple trays. She says it's "tradition" that she does that. I told her I will happily remember that tradition!

The house was full and noisy. The 2 grandbaby girls ensuring the noisiness factor. Mya and Adelaina were absolutely adorable in matching dresses. The greatest part of that was that the moms, Jaime & Alisha, had bought the same dresses without even knowing it!

We used to focus on the 12 Days of Christmas. Opening a gift a day, and focusing more on the time together than the gifts. I had no energy for backing up that plan this year, and the kids - young and old - happily went thru them all. Surprisingly, perhaps, for an onlooker of this large family get-together, it wasn't a gift-opening frenzy at all. They all took time to enjoy and thank one another for the gifts. They love to love on one another, that's for sure.

Mya Anne talks with her Uncle Bryce from Japan

Veronica with sleeping Adelaina, and Jaime with baby Mya Anne with her signature sober expression... she really does crack a smile! Just not usually for the camera.