IKEA and BOTTINY'S - Hurray!

Granny and Hayden

Deep Fried Turkey

Christmas Sisters

Both Drew and I are up at 6:00, Drew to work at home for the morning, me to enjoy a cup of coffee, watch CNN, wait for the sun to rise, and write my blog.  I think I have the better job.  At the moment it's quite chilly, 26ª but it will get up into the 50's later in the day, stay there over the weekend with lots of sunshine.

Mom and Daughter

Halle Gifts Her Dad

Halle's Stuffed Animal

Hayden's New Mac Air

We had a great Christmas here in Bristow, getting up early of course, by 6:30 and even Hayden, who might sleep in until 11:00 was up early.  In fact, she said she was awake since 4:30 she was so excited.  We took our time exchanging gifts much to Hayden's annoyance because she was so nervous as to whether she would be getting a Mac Air and she did not see any package under the tree that looked like one, alas.  Of course, her father had hidden it to make her squirm so when he finally pulled it out from under the couch, her face turned to smiles as screams.  Nothing like getting something you really want from Santa.  Halle got some neat things as well, but her new desk for her room was missing some pieces, so it will be returned and the gang are heading off to IKEA later in the day to pick out a desk.  And it looked like it was another good day for Apple as our grandchildren, Nick and Marlena in Kansas City also received Apple products, Nick a Mac Air and Marlena an iPhone.  When do Evie and I get one?

Deep Frying Turkey

Keeping Warm

Kitchen Gals

Most of the rest of the day we either watched a movie, The Giver, took naps, or surfed on the Net, though late in the day, I got out of the house and took Coco for a long walk.  We did not do much prepping for dinner until around 5:00 when Evie and Jill got the potatoes, stuffing, and Brussel sprouts ready for cooking and Drew fired up the deep fryer in the backyard, along with a fire pit to keep us warm.  It took about a half hour to get the oil up to 350º and the turkey had been rubbed with a Cajun spice the night before so it was ready.  We dropped it in the oil, let it fry for forty minutes, a 12 pounder, as we sat outside drinking a really good local beer called Vienna Lager.  I was surprised at the looks of the turkey when we pulled it out.  It was mostly blackened, looked as if it was burned to a crisp.

Getting Cosy

A Panoply Of New Knives

While it sat out for a half hour, Evie and Jill got everything else ready, so around 6:30  I carved the turkey, moist and tasty because of the rub.  There's nothing like the taste of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy to take you back to your childhood, to your first Christmas dinners, usually at your grandparents house.  And some of the awful tasting vegetables they liked, for example, creamed onions, turnips or rutabagas.  I still remember how awful they looked and tasted, but I would like them now.

We decided to watch a movie Evie and I liked called CHEF and thought the family would like it as well.  Like most movies we like, there were some uncomfortable moments because of language but the kids were not paying much attention to the the movie anyways so it went over their heads.  Halle was up and down through most of it and Hayden fell asleep, so it was the four adults who watched it. We all were tired from the day, so after the movie ended, no one wanted to stay up so we were in bed by 10:30, the girls not doubt to watch another show on their iPad or Mac Air.

Today the girls head to IKEA though Drew and I will stay home.  And late afternoon, we are excited to head over to my sister Ellen's home for dinner.  She lives in Herndon about forty five minutes away and we are anxious to see her kids, both of whom we have not seen in a couple of years.