Merry Christmas!

In 9 years, this is the smallest Christmas Dale & I have ever had... it was just the two of us, LD and Dad. Despite being so small a gathering, it was still wonderful... though we did miss Beth terribly!!

Our day started with the cat terrorizing presents - this actually started the night before after Santa had made his delivery... Around and around she went, trying to figure out which present she should try to unwrap first.

By the way, do you like how that one strategically placed section of lights is out? Where "MommaJade'sWorld 2010" is placed?

Luckily, the gifts all made it till the next morning. LD and Tank were still fast asleep when we got up. Since when do little kids sleep longer than their parents on Christmas morning???

This was probably because he had a hard time falling asleep the night before. From what we could hear outside, it seemed that Santa had to come back no less than THREE times to try to deliver LD's gifts...Once he was up however, it was time to get down to business - first came the unloading of the stocking:

"CAT!!! Get out of here!!"

Not dissuaded by LD, she went after the bag of shredded wrapping paper next: 

Next was tearing into all the gifts.

His two most requested items? Yep, he got them!

The pile 'o loot:

By the way.... all the games? He was absolutely THRILLED... and when we were too tired to play them with him? Well he just kept on playing them on his own. After LD opened his presents, it was time for movies & playing with the new stuff until dinner was ready.

I don't know who had more fun with this one - Dale, LD, Tank or the Cat....

I'll spare you all the messy details and leave you with just the finished spread. Yes, those slices of beef are over an inch thick.....

Prime Rib roast, PW's buttered Rosemary rolls, mashed potatoes with sour cream, roasted asparagus and peas.

I'd like to draw special attention to both the crocheted table cloth AND the china. Both belonged to my maternal grandmother. Instead of waiting to divide up much of her things until AFTER she passed away, grandma began giving everyone things over the years. My mom was going to get the china but she really didnt' have a place to put it at the time, so I ended up with it.

The table cloth was something my grandma's mother in law made before grandma got married. The china was picked up in Japan when my mother was VERY young (1950's) - while my grandpa was stationed there in the Navy.

The china pattern is Sonata, by the Narumi china company. In 2007 when our garage caught on fire, I lost quite a bit of it. Thanks to our renter's insurance and Replacements.com, I was able to replace nearly all of what I lost. While the pattern is the same, the stamp on the bottoms is a little different (not to mention the shape/size of some pieces). The replacement pieces state "Occupied Japan" on them, where my original china just said Narumi Sonata, Japan.  Regardless, I love it... the colors, the "retro" pattern... everything.