Sounds like you're all having a nice holiday. We have a lot of "together" times, but not at Christmas. Right now Omer and Rafi (my sons) are in Panama with a friend. Omer is surfing, and Rafi is probably relaxing on the beach. He's still sort of recovering from his separation with Kristine. Danit and Darren were supposed to go to visit his parents in Denver for Christmas, but they postponed the trip. Things are a little tight financially for them right now, so they'd rather go another time. Besides, they're having extra cold weather in Colorado right now, and neither of them likes the cold. Actually, it's been really cold in L.A., too, but I guess it doesn't compare to the snow and ice kind of cold.

Karen, I guess I managed to grow up in Vermont without knowing what a dooryard is. What is it?!

For my family supper has always been the end of day meal. Dinner is something that we might eat Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, or Sunday "dinner" . It's fancier or just plain more food. Oh well.
I was happy to have the boys arrive; as always I fell for the "We'll be really late." story. They know I'm anxious for them to come home and they tell me something like we got started really late, they blame each other; the roads are really icy and we had to go super slow on the highway, had to work late; you get the idea. Then when they know I'm upset and worked up they pull in. Sometimes they are actually telling me these stories while parked in the driveway. I'm just such a weak vessel and they have such fun at my expense. so of course they pull this Christmas eve and then waltz through the door. Jeez. So we had our usual Christmas eve events but we did it quite a bit later than usual.

Maybe it's a Vermont thing, Kathi. Like Jesum Cro.

So did Santa come and bring you all nice presents? Did you hear about the crazy guy here who dressed up as Santa and went to the house where his ex-wife and her family and others were having a party and then started shooting at people? He killed 8 people. Why are there so many sick, crazy people in this world? Sorry, I shouldn't have even mentioned this. Not exactly what you all need to hear right now.

I say supper too, Lori! Must be a "Springfield" thing!!
All of my kids will be home on Friday. Tomorrow Neil and I are going to my
niece and her husbands for Christmas dinner. It'll be a nice "adult" time...before all the kids arrive. I just went to church for Midnight mass (which is actually 8:00...in the middle of the mass, all the lights went off...luckily, they had lots of candles going. It was really pretty...and the lights came on after about 10 minutes.
It is raining here now...making the piles of snow go down. I am sure it won't all disappear and that Santa will find his way, he'll have to pretend that its snow!
May you all have a joyous Holiday, filled with love and joy!
Happy Thoughts.............

It's nice to see someone else says "supper" besides me. My kids laugh at me cuz no one in L.A. seems to say supper; they all say "dinner." Anyway, Merry Christmas to all of you! Enjoy the holiday and your families!

It's Christmas Eve. Dave, Jack and I just finished supper and tracking Santa via Norad. He's in France. I'm waiting impatiently for the boys to arrive. For me, Christmas will start then.

God bless all of you wherever he finds you this evening.
- Pat

Thanks, Karen! I like the feeling of holidays and vacation, but I can't say I'm caught up in the holiday spirit. We've been lighting the Hannukah candles and eating "soofganiot" (the Hannukah donuts), but that's about all--but that's okay, I'm just taking it easy, not complaining....

karen, the words to the kenny loggins Christmas song you posted and the idea of knowing the spirit of the holiday reminds me of a fav poem of mine that was written by emily dickinson.

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul,
and sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all,

and sweetest in the gale is heard;
and sore must be the storm
that could abash the little bird
that kept so many warm.

i ’ve heard it in the chillest land,
and on the strangest sea;
yet, never, in extremity,
it asked a crumb of me.

Yes, we have at least 15 inches of snow plus the winds are brutal. Windchills are way below zero...I went and got the mail, enough of being outside!
I spent the day with 3 of my teacher friends doing lunch and our little Christmas.
It was fun...instead of us cooking, we ordered Chinese...from the little trailer on Clinton Street. Pretty tasty and easy! Plus we ate at my house, so even better!
Stay warm...happy thoughts!

We are enjoying 15 inches of fresh snow. If the wind would die down this would be much less of a big deal.

Yes, yes, yes, it is snowing. We have had a foot of snow since Friday and it is snowing heavily now. Personally, the White Christmas thing is getting to be very overrated! I am tired of shoveling already....luckily, Neil is home today, so its his turn with that fun tool. We have had 2 snow days...1 late start and 1 early release...we are now on vacation until Jan. 2, when they scheduled a inservice day.
How crazy...a Friday...heat up a school for one day then a weekend...after vacation.
What were they thinking?
Drive carefully...I am hibernating today!

The concept of a white Christmas is no longer up for discussion, we are about to get smacked with a foot or more of snow and it has just started. Yikes! Guess we better hit the grocery store today.

watch out Kathi, if I'm getting it then I think you either already did or you will, right? How many snow days have you already had?

Karen when your family be home?

2 days 19 hours to go..................