Christmas 2019 Recap

We will start with the weekend before Christmas. I had said it felt like a mini tropical storm and I was right. A weather radar picture showed a big counterclockwise swirl coming in from the Gulf over the weekend. We rode out to the beach, but I didn't walk because it was really blowing. The picture doesn't show how high the surf was or how hard the wind was blowing.

I do hope to get some morning beach walks in before the year is over.

Next, we will document the tree of 2019.

On the floor in front is an attempt to wrap a fishing rod. I did finally manage it but got tired and just sat down this night to enjoy the peace and quiet. 

*I had seen on a video where a girl used red pillowcases to wrap unusually shaped items. I had some old red sheets with a size bed that we no longer have so I made several bags for things and a long narrow one for the fishing rod. I ended up having to widen that one a bit the next morning.

Now back to the weather. The storm messed up big plans at our church over the weekend....well, sort of.

You see our church had planned a two day (4 times to attend) family celebration that would involve lots of games, ice skating rink, and all kinds of stuff that would be family friendly. It was going to be outside but the storm moved it all inside. Believe it or not it all worked out.

Katie and Paul Allen brought Katie's little cousin with them. She lost her father (Katie's cousin) this year and she has stolen all our hearts, especially mine since I lost my dad at about the same age. I welcome her anytime she is around. They have really taken her under their wing and she loves them immensely.

Here they are with Santa at church.

And then ice skating.

The ice skating rink was a flat surface that looked like those things you put in the bottom of a lunch bag that you freeze. They put them together like puzzle pieces and spray them with something.

Lindsay and Tyler spent the weekend in West Palm Beach with Tyler's brother's family. His brother and wife just had a baby at Thanksgiving so Tyler's parents went down and they had their Christmas there.

Another picture taken of Tucker down there. He is adorable!

Christmas Eve started with me making three pies. Two for our family dinner and one for Jeff's bother.

He did come to our family celebration. I was so worried he wouldn't come, but he did. I wanted to get a picture of Jeff with his brother and sister and I just completely forgot.

Two lemon icebox and one chocolate meringue which I will share later because it is soooo good.

The table all set. I had to set it and the kitchen table this year.

Tradition to use these dishes for Christmas dinner.

Later...

Presents were passed out. IT seemed like a lot, but they were mostly in big boxes. I actually spent less this year which was my goal.

A few scenes from the present opening time.

Paul Allen

You can tell Mother felt bad. She hasn't felt good the past few days.

Lindsay took most of the pictures and missed Tyler in all of it. I feel terrible. I was quite a poor photographer this year. 

There was some discussion of how it came to be that we open presents on Christmas Eve. IT was determined that with the Palmer family it began with Jeff being so much younger than his bother and sister. They had already moved way past Santa and just opened on Christmas Eve. He got a few Santa presents but he was by himself at that age. His brother and sister were already out on their own and came over for Christmas Eve.

I can tell you being an only child I begged out of that of Christmas morning thing quite early.

So it is tradition to open on Christmas Eve and pretty much always has been except for a couple of things from Santa in the Santa believing years.

Tucker with Lemony...

The customary pics in front of the tree at the end.

Tucker held on well... Too much activity to sleep.

Christmas Day found us doing something new...a picnic. The weather was wonderful and we traveled to the park by boat.

Two movies were seen this week.

Jeff and I also went to see Star Wars on the night of the 23rd. Made this mama very happy. I am a huge fan.

His choice was the Richard Jewel movie so that is what we saw Christmas Day afternoon. It was so very good. Clint Eastwood knows how to tell a story. I definitely recommend seeing it.

Christmas Day evening was spent just soaking up the last of the Christmas tree lights and relaxing and being ever so thankful for Jesus in my life.

Merry Christmas and time to think about what 2020 will bring. I will be back later with some of those end of the year thoughts and forward thinking.

Oh and the blogging commenting thing has struck me as well. For now I will do the same thing I did last year at this time...I have downloaded Firefox so that I can comment on your blogs. I hope to catch up reading this week and hopefully Safari and Google problems will figure out a solution like last time. 

Sandy