Well, I've finally done it - created a blog! My DD has been trying to get me to do this for a while & maybe 2010 is finally the time ... now what to say? Christmas was hectic, but nice - had SIL's family over & we watched Star Wars episode 1 (in preparation for New Year's Eve) & worked on a jigsaw puzzle. For some reason my kids always slept in on Christmas morning & Alea has proved no different LOL! I was up at 4:00, Bob got up at 5:00, Tomy wandered down around 6:00, Ray showed up at 6:30. By 7:30 we were all wandering around watching Alea's bedroom door so I put on some Christmas music (rather loud) & opened her door. That did it - she was out & under the tree within 5 minutes. Her other grandpa kept telling her there was no Santa & I kept telling her there was, so I guess she was a bit confused. Tomy & Ray have never done Santa for her. In her letter to Santa she only asked for a dolly and confirmed that request when she sat with the jolly old man at her school's Christmas pageant so Bob & I got her a Madame Alexander 18" sweetie & put her under the tree with a tag "to Alea, Love Santa". She grabbed it , hugged it, and declared "I love her"! Later that afternoon she asked me how he got down our tiny chimney so I told her he was magic but I'd left the door unlocked just in case. She nodded & went back to playing so I guess it was acceptable.
The week between Christmas & New Year's Eve was spent preparing for our annual (OK, this was only the 2nd year) New Year's Eve costume party. Last year was just random costumes & everyone sat around in small groups so we decided to have themes & games from now on. 2009 was Star Wars and we had pod races using office chairs & 3-man teams, 2 engines & a rider all joined by holding hands - it was a wild ride! Bob won the 1st race with Tomy & I as engines, but he said he would forfeit his position rather than get in that seat again LOL, so Jessi won (Rudy & Willie were her engines). The Chinese auction was great fun, especially when Willie got a baby doll and then Alea, who was first & last, traded her electric simmer pot for it. There was an abundance of food, including ewok cupcakes, tortilla chips with rancor slime (guacamole), womp rat tails (breaded mozzarella sticks), and swamp juice (punch w/dry ice). At midnight Ray fired his cannon & lit some fireworks, then we came back in for a sparkling cider toast. Kyle won the costume contest, getting a box of chocolates & the honor of choosing next year's theme. He immediately requested Spiderman, so the 2010 theme will be Super Heroes, Villains, & Sidekicks!