second (1st) Christmas
Our house, ready for my parents with two Christmas trees in the windows. Can you see them both? My parents, Grant, and Oreo (who would escape if they left her home) arrived on Christmas eve a little after 7:00p after driving through rain all day.
Our first order of business was to play Settlers of Catan. Mom and I declared war on the guys (and I said later we shouldn't have told them until the end because they wouldn't trade with us) because I don't have enough game pieces for more than four.
We've gone from borrowing Ryan's school's Wii back to the original, a 1985 NES. Let me just say that the improvements in technology in the last 20+ years have been drastic. Grant demonstrated superior Duck Hunt skills, blasting them out of the sky so the goofy dog could hold up the kill.
Since Grant and I were outnumbered by people wanting to wait until Christmas of all days to open presents, the tree was left laden with packages Wednesday night. I woke up at 5:00a, but didn't think I'd get the warmest of reactions rousing the bunch of night owls to open presents that early. Luckily, Jifer and Trip walked by around 7:45a and set off the Oreo alarm in the garage. We opened presents a little after 8:30a.
Mom & Dad opening their presents . . . Grant got mom a Life is Good shirt. We also gave them a photo book of our wedding and a framed picture of us. Dad got a Lowe's gift card, a golf calendar, personalized stationary, and Smartwool socks.
Grant wanted clothes for Christmas, so that's what he got . . . a dress shirt from Express and a Super Pi (superman-like symbol with who knows how many digits of pi).
I got to hand out presents because I sat closest to the tree. I also got to open some presents myself: a CD, 3 books (Multiple Bles8ings, Zamba, and a book of zoo vet stories), an ornament, a super-cool level (think of the pictures I can hang!), a hydration backpack, personalized stationary, and a DVD. There might be more, but I can't remember right now.
Ryan modeling his presents: a tennis bag and balls from Grant. He also got Back to the Future DVDs, racquetball goggles, a digital picture frame, a sports trivia game, and a CD.
I've had this ornament bookmarked on my web browser for I don't know how many years. Jaclyn had my name out of us girls and she got it for me! See the little bird on his hat? I bet you could find a s'mores ornament that is doing something you like too!
While Ryan watched basketball and Grant played Super Mario World on the computer, I showed my parents pictures from the last few months. Mainly we looked at Junior History Trip pics, all 800!
On the escalator in between the Cascades and Garden Conservatory areas. You can see that I get no respect as a photographer from my family . . .
After being re-routed, we meandered past a small waterfall, some goldfish, and lots more cool plants.
Ooh . . . aah . . . goldfish . . .
Grant's laughing because he was making a stupid face and I wouldn't take the picture until he stopped. What do you do with little brothers?
Ryan and I standing at a popular wedding spot where couples get to experience their indoor/outdoor weddings in the Delta area.
This is what all that walking around can do to you.
Since we seem to rarely take a family picture, here are two to make up for it! (Don't adjust your monitors, ladies and gentlemen. It's Grant that's askew, not your computer.)
I found this ornament at a shop in the hotel and had to get it, not only because it was on sale the day after Christmas! I love these s'mores ornaments!
I also got to try out our new wedding present from my parents, a cobalt blue Kitchen Aid stand mixer! Mom and I made Russian tea kettles (cakes) for its inaugural run. We're mixin things up at the Heilman house!
1 comments:
Oh it looks like you had so much fun! I love Opryland at Christmas. Thank-you so much for my cool ornament! That was very sweet of you. Anyway, we're headed out to the slopes! Have a good day
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