Merry Christmas!

[Michael]

Merry Christmas

So what are you doing for the holidays? Traveling to visit friends and family? Stuffing your face with a big feast or mountains of sugary desserts? Shopping?

Inquiring minds want to know! :lol:

[The Drunk Guy]

We're headed home (1 1/2 hour drive) to bask in the glow of materialistic tradition. :D

Tonight with her folks who are preparing a monstrous dinner. Tomorrow with my folks who are preparing an equally massive late-lunch. Then it's back here for the weekend so TDGal can get back to work. It'll be over faster than a hangover.

[Americano]

Tomorrow we'll be at the local soup kitchen and then a battered woman's shelter, where, as most here know, my wife dresses as Santa and hands out presents at both places.

The great news here being no snow in the weather forecast so I won't have to revert to emergency plans A or B to get her there (with a truck load of wrapped presents).

[partofme]

Going to see my wife's family on her mom side tonight, then tomorrow morning it's opening gifts with the kids, then going to her family's celebration on her dad's side, then my families celebration, then to visit my grandmother in the nursing home, then back to her family.

[The Drunk Guy]

Going to see my wife's family on her mom side tonight, then tomorrow morning it's opening gifts with the kids, then going to her family's celebration on her dad's side, then my families celebration, then to visit my grandmother in the nursing home, then back to her family.
My condolences.

[partofme]

My condolences.

No shit. And they all wonder why we are stressed out and in a rush.

[The Drunk Guy]

No shit. And they all wonder why we are stressed out and in a rush.I never cared for spending time with extended family just because you're expected to. Holidays are for close families to truly get to spend some time together, imo. Having to go to my aunt's to see my uncle and his family from Bumfuck, OH on Christmas was always just a drain and it took a lot out of our family's day. Plus, they're assholes, which made it worse.

Luckily, I'm a visitor now, so I always "have to get back home." :D

And I can't wait until the day we get our own house and kids so that we can just make our families come to us.

[Americano]

Going to see my wife's family on her mom side tonight, then tomorrow morning it's opening gifts with the kids, then going to her family's celebration on her dad's side, then my families celebration, then to visit my grandmother in the nursing home, then back to her family.

Just reading your schedule gave me a headache.

[cassandrabandra]

It'll be christmas here in twenty minutes!

I am going to my brother's place - they have a snazzy new barbeque so they are doing the prawns (yes - we really do put prawns (giant shrimps) on the barbie ) and I'm taking over a few things to contribute. Since Mum passed away a few years ago we've been hit and miss over Xmas - last year we were in Paris, and the year before we didn't do the family thing - can't remember why.

Its forecast 40C (thats 110F I think) so no hot christmas dinners for us!

After that I think I'll head down south for a bit ... its cooler down there.:)

[Margot]

Going to see my wife's family on her mom side tonight, then tomorrow morning it's opening gifts with the kids, then going to her family's celebration on her dad's side, then my families celebration, then to visit my grandmother in the nursing home, then back to her family.

Wow. That sounds insanely stressful.

Do your kids track Santa? I don't know how old they are, but it is sort of my favorite Christmas eve tradition ever. NORAD Track Santa (http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html?utm_campaign=en_US&utm_medium=mapshpp&utm_source=en_US-mapshpp-na-us-gns-norad)

Merry Christmas!

[Zarquon]

just shopping and eating for me.

[partofme]

Wow. That sounds insanely stressful.

Do your kids track Santa? I don't know how old they are, but it is sort of my favorite Christmas eve tradition ever. NORAD Track Santa (http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html?utm_campaign=en_US&utm_medium=mapshpp&utm_source=en_US-mapshpp-na-us-gns-norad)

Merry Christmas!


My oldest does. He gets so excited.

[wphelan]

I'm chilling at O'Hare airport waiting for my brother's flight to get in from Orlando. It's delayed, but I really don't mind. I left extra early because of the potential for icy roads, but it rained instead, which was great.

His flight won't get in until 10pm now, and with the hour and a half drive back, this is what my Christmas eve will consist of. I'll be at my Dad's house tomorrow morning and head over to my Grandma's for lunch. I'll probably have about 50 aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces, nephews, etc. over there, but it's actually a nice time. I keep my holidays stress free.

Edit - Make that 10:30. Flight just got pushed back another 30 minutes.

[Margot]

Someone shoved the Pope over during mass a couple hours ago. I'm not sure what exactly I'll be doing tomorrow, but I'll be chuckling about that tonight.

[Americano]

Someone shoved the Pope over during mass a couple hours ago. I'm not sure what exactly I'll be doing tomorrow, but I'll be chuckling about that tonight.

'AN 'APPARENTLY unbalanced' woman did it was the headline I read. Vatican security will be demanding big bucks for upgrades after a woman shoved the pope. Which means it has to come from Vatican operations, probably sucking up money from all the way down to the local Catholic Charity where we volunteer to fund it.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow as it's my wife's big event of the year and that makes me happy. The irony of a Jew and an agnostic assistant pulling it off, for the fourth year, two years after the Jew was removed from office in a Catholic Charity organization because she wasn't a Catholic. And reinstated because they realized they needed her. Victories can be sweet.

As Donkey stated there's not much going on right now in general public communication other than Christmas in overdrive.

[Donkey]

My family is in a bit of disintegration at the moment, so a long story short we did Christmas last night. Tonight I'm playing Christmas Eve beer pong back where I live, and borrowing somebody else's family for Christmas tomorrow.

[Lily]

Merry Christmas to everybody!

I've returned from my annual get-out-of-town-while-everybody-else-does-their-crazy-Christmas-thang trip. It was great (photos in the travel thread)!

I picked up a couple of pounds of Stone Crab claws, which I intend to enjoy with some melted garlic butter and a some beautiful Cuban bread. Maybe an arugula salad with some parmagiano-reggiano shavings. For dessert, a Baby Ruth and some lovely Community Coffee, dark roast.

The Syfy channel started running a marathon of Ghost Hunters, yesterday. I've DVR'd a few hours, so I'll probably watch some of those shows. Steve and Tango just crack me up. And I'll wait for the rain, which should be arriving in the next couple of hours.

Later on, I'll call my brother and my nephew to see what they're doing.

[Margot]

'AN 'APPARENTLY unbalanced' woman did it was the headline I read. Vatican security will be demanding big bucks for upgrades after a woman shoved the pope. Which means it has to come from Vatican operations, probably sucking up money from all the way down to the local Catholic Charity where we volunteer to fund it.


Well, apparently the exact same thing happened last year, only they caught the woman in time.

After I heard about it I went straight to youtube and, after being rickrolled once, I finally found a clip. You couldn't see the old man go down, but you could see the opulence, gold, pageantry and hypocrisy so alien to the nativity story.

Your wife sounds awesomely tenacious. I hope both of your efforts pay off today- you are what Christmas should be. I think you're awesome. Merry Christmas!

[The Drunk Girl]

Using my cell phone, so it is hard to say too much but MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!! However you may celebrate :)

[Americano]

Santa's missions were successful. The soup kitchen and then the battered women shelter (no photos allowed at the shelter).

Not to rain on the holiday parade but..... when assisting Santa in caring for disadvantaged children and adults at a charity soup kitchen in my own country I fucking hate to a point of wanting to kill every American interventionist warmonger ever spawned. Sorry for the rant.

[The Drunk Girl]

WE GOT DISHES!!! Matching dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and mugs for eight. We also received a new pots and pans set. I'm tickled pink :D

My Mother decided to buy me a Rubix cube for Christmas to be "cute." Her reasoning behind the gift was so I could use it as a "stress reliever" when I start nursing school. I told her the damn thing would probably piss me off and stress me out more than what I already was to begin with.

This picture below was taken around 11 or so Christmas Eve night. I was horribly tired, but my Mother insisted on taking more pictures of her kids. As you can tell, both of my siblings are almost as tall as me. I hate this :lol:

[Zarquon]

This picture below was taken around 11 or so Christmas Eve night. I was horribly tired, but my Mother insisted on taking more pictures of her kids. As you can tell, both of my siblings are almost as tall as me. I hate this :lol:
er.. your sister got red-eyed

[Margot]

WE GOT DISHES!!! Matching dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and mugs for eight. We also received a new pots and pans set. I'm tickled pink :D

My Mother decided to buy me a Rubix cube for Christmas to be "cute." Her reasoning behind the gift was so I could use it as a "stress reliever" when I start nursing school. I told her the damn thing would probably piss me off and stress me out more than what I already was to begin with.

This picture below was taken around 11 or so Christmas Eve night. I was horribly tired, but my Mother insisted on taking more pictures of her kids. As you can tell, both of my siblings are almost as tall as me. I hate this :lol:

Man, there is NOTHING better than matching dishes (ok, besides new underwear and matching sheets. WHY AM I SO OLD INSIDE?) And pots and pans? AWESOME. I love going into cooking supplies stores and looking at all the goodies like that! If I win the lotto, I'm going to buy an all-copper cooking set I've had my eye on for years. Then I'll buy a better house to put it all in.

And you don't look tired in the picture, you look really good.

My sister has officially outgrown me. It does suck, doesn't it? I'm older, I should be bigger!

[The Drunk Girl]

er.. your sister got red-eyed

..she's a Terminator :shrug:

Man, there is NOTHING better than matching dishes (ok, besides new underwear and matching sheets. WHY AM I SO OLD INSIDE?) And pots and pans? AWESOME. I love going into cooking supplies stores and looking at all the goodies like that! If I win the lotto, I'm going to buy an all-copper cooking set I've had my eye on for years. Then I'll buy a better house to put it all in.

I am down with new underware and matching sheets, too. Problem with me and underware is I never can find matching bras due to my ladies :lol:



My sister has officially outgrown me. It does suck, doesn't it? I'm older, I should be bigger!



Well, my sister just turned 12 on December 18 (she's now the same age as I was when she was born). And the little terd to my right is 9 1/2. I'm 24 and all I have to look forward to is shrinking in size in about 40 years.
I'm

[Americano]

WE GOT DISHES!!! Matching dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and mugs for eight. We also received a new pots and pans set. I'm tickled pink :D

Good for you! Before you know it moving will become a significant life adventure. It starts from a no-problem couple of carloads this is exciting stuff, moves to a trailer requirement (which means a trailer hitch), then comes the small box van (larger with each move as necessities expand beyond imagination) and finally an over-the-road tractor with 40' trailer, driver and moving crew. It's that part of the American Dream advertisers never mention.

ps: make TDG rotate the dishes.

My Mother decided to buy me a Rubix cube for Christmas to be "cute." Her reasoning behind the gift was so I could use it as a "stress reliever" when I start nursing school. I told her the damn thing would probably piss me off and stress me out more than what I already was to begin with.

This picture below was taken around 11 or so Christmas Eve night. I was horribly tired, but my Mother insisted on taking more pictures of her kids. As you can tell, both of my siblings are almost as tall as me. I hate this :lol:

[Americano]

er.. your sister got red-eyed

Let's fix that.

[Americano]

I spent the day using software to adjust and make collages of images I captured at the soup kitchen Xmas event. The guests (and most volunteers) get excited seeing themselves in print and for many it's a very rare occasion. I enjoy photography and as people have always been my favorite subject it's fun for me.

These are too small for viewing detail here but I end up with four of them which are hung in the soup kitchen for the next year. Virtually every volunteer asks for copies and after tiring of making CDs the first year I now post the individual images (I know what they want) on the net with a poster board notice including the URL on the soup kitchen's kitchen's bulletin board. Except for our favorite co-volunteers. They each get an 8x10 glossy print of professional level quality with the keep your mouth shut clause because not everyone got one.

[The Drunk Girl]

Good for you! Before you know it moving will become a significant life adventure. It starts from a no-problem couple of carloads this is exciting stuff, moves to a trailer requirement (which means a trailer hitch), then comes the small box van (larger with each move as necessities expand beyond imagination) and finally an over-the-road tractor with 40' trailer, driver and moving crew. It's that part of the American Dream advertisers never mention.

ps: make TDG rotate the dishes.

:rofl: That is funny. We had a minor disagreement today: Last night when we got home, I thought he said he would pick up the living room. When I got home from work, everything was left laying around so I asked him, "I thought you were going to pick up while I was at work?" His response: "I don't remember saying that." Either way (whoever heard/said what) he wound up picking up and organizing some of the new kitchen appliances while I was laying down for a nap. He's a pretty good guy :)

When we moved into our new place back in June it was all me! Nothing against him, because I was the one off and he was at work, but generally the household chores are mine and the cooking his (I do not have the patience for it).

When we moved, we both wondered how we fit everything into our tiny little place to begin with before moving here. And now we are getting to the point of accumulating more paraphernalia and having a hard time figuring out where to put it!!! I am so on board with having U-Haul come in and just pack our shit for us next time. I'm done with moving on my own (actually we have actually discussed the traveling nursing deal, so that would be of a great benefit when coming to that) .

Let's fix that.

Thank you much, sir. I would give you a kiss on the cheek if I could :)

(I was just excited to show my little ones off that I didn't fool with the cropping/red eye bit)

I spent the day using software to adjust and make collages of images I captured at the soup kitchen Xmas event. The guests (and most volunteers) get excited seeing themselves in print and for many it's a very rare occasion. I enjoy photography and as people have always been my favorite subject it's fun for me.

These are too small for viewing detail here but I end up with four of them which are hung in the soup kitchen for the next year. Virtually every volunteer asks for copies and after tiring of making CDs the first year I now post the individual images (I know what they want) on the net with a poster board notice including the URL on the soup kitchen's kitchen's bulletin board. Except for our favorite co-volunteers. They each get an 8x10 glossy print of professional level quality with the keep your mouth shut clause because not everyone got one.

I think it's absoultely wonderful what you and your wife do around the holidays. You're both good people in my book ;)

[Michael]

If I win the lotto, I'm going to buy an all-copper cooking set I've had my eye on for years.

I bought a full set a few years ago - they are very nice indeed. :)

I got sick of having all sorts of mis-matched pots and pans. The all-copper ones look very cool and work very well. :)

[Michael]

I am down with new underware and matching sheets, too.
Underwear that matches the bedsheets? Kinda like camuflage in bed? :ummm:

Well, my sister just turned 12 on December 18 (she's now the same age as I was when she was born). And the little terd to my right is 9 1/2. I'm 24 and all I have to look forward to is shrinking in size in about 40 years.
Your sister looks big for 12. And the little turd on your right is going to be equal to you in height in precisely four years (boys tend to equal their mother's height at age 13 - I'm assuming you are close to your mother in height - in five years, he will start to pat you on the top of the head and call you shortie!). :lol:

[Americano]

We made the front page of the local newspaper (below the fold). We knew there was a possibility on Thursday when the reporter interviewed my wife at length on the telephone but assumed it would be a small blurb in the community section as in past years. When their photographer showed up on Christmas Day the potential of an accompanying photo was good news, but we never dreamed front page. That the reporter is a woman and thought it was wonderful spin that a woman could be Santa had to have a lot to do with the editorial decision.

The funny part was the city (including the newspaper) experienced a seven-hour power outage on Saturday delaying publication and we didn't know about it until late last night when a friend called and told us.

It turned into a great holiday for us and the soup kitchen. Donations always surge big with that type of publicity.

[The Drunk Girl]

Underwear that matches the bedsheets? Kinda like camuflage in bed? :ummm:

That almost sounds like asking someone, "Does the carpet match the drapes?" (Sorry I couldn't resist). But, yes camouflage in bed is the only way to hide from TDG :lol:

Your sister looks big for 12. And the little turd on your right is going to be equal to you in height in precisely four years (boys tend to equal their mother's height at age 13 - I'm assuming you are close to your mother in height - in five years, he will start to pat you on the top of the head and call you shortie!). :lol:


She is bigger than most 12 year old girls When she was younger she was a pretty tiny thing, then after she started kindergarten/1st grade she started to fill out. She has more of our mother's build.

Chad was so eager to tell me that he had reached 80 pounds when we came to visit for Christmas. He has always been lanky and is built the same way as Dad (my step-dad) was when he was younger.

Our mother is 5'8" or so and I'm 5'6" (I'm actually taller than my biological father by an inch or so, at least from the last time I saw him) and Dad's side of the family is pretty tall, so the kids got lucky there.