Christmas 2022

 O'Fallon, IL (Hi 30   Lo 14)   

I spent Saturday and Sunday with Frank and Angie in O'Fallon since it's icy and I had to go back and forth in the dark and an icy parking lot. I could help with the festivities and we had gift opening on both days. 

We had a houseful all weekend and it was fun. We played a game call Mind Gap with four generations of Trivia questions. It was a lot of fun and very hard questions. We watched Santa Clauses on Netflix all three hours which was pretty good. 

                                                Sherri, Dee, Holly, Kyle, Kendall, Anna and Frank

We had a couple people that wasn't going to be there on Sunday so we exchanged gifts with them on Saturday night. We had personal little pizzas for dinner which were very good.  I'll be posting a lot of pictures. I want them for reference for next year.  (Click on the photos to enlarge). 

Christmas eve with all the decorations, family and dinner. 

                                            Anna and Kendall

                                                        Holly getting pizzas ingredients ready. 

                                                        Anna, Holly, Kendall and Kyle

                                        There's a football game on, a must when you're in fantasy football pool. 

                                                Opening a few gifts

                                            Sherri and Frank

                                                The hot cup of chocolate 

We were all up by 9:00 Christmas morning so after a hot beverage we gathered around for the two hour opening of gifts. Angie and Frank buy gifts all year round, so it's not as hard on the pocket book and if they see something someone would like they get it. It's a very good idea. 

                                                Holly. Kyle and Angie

                                                Frank

                                            Kendall

                                                    My stack

By 4:30 Angie's brother Jimmy, wife Kim, and the three youngsters, Hunter, Piper, and JT came for dinner. 

                                                        Kim, Sherri, Frank tables full of food

                                                Ok, showing off my plate. 

     Kendall, Dee, Kyle and Holly

                                            Banjo, Kendall, Angie, Frank, Dee, Kyle and Holly

                                                        Piper and Holly making ginger bread houses

                                                          Kyle and Holly with their house

                                                                        Dee and Frank

To end all the festivities, Here's my gifts for this year. They are all very special. Rick sent me a tear jerker gift. A retro Viewfinder with seven pictures of our life from wedding to death of Jim. It's amazing for him to find something so remarkable. 

                                                        Cute cardinal earrings

                                  I saw this wine glass at the balloon festival but didn't want to try to get it home. 

                                         This is wrapping paper and little special stickers to send out my critters. 

                                                A special family picture calendar.  

                                         This is all special. The car and trailer are salt shakers.  Socks to the left. A book and scarf from the hospice coworkers. 

                                            The stickers, PJ's for winter, A singing Santa, slippers (mine fell apart good timing. and long winter socks for these cold winters. 

It was a great Christmas but I sure miss Jim. He would have loved this weekend. I hope everyone who has lost a mate had family or a way to be with friends. It's the worst time of the year. Next week I'll do a recap of 2022.