Many Hands Grateful

~Saturday, December 25, 2021~

Day 559

ⓂⒺⓇⓇⓎ 🎄 ⒸⒽⓇⒾⓈⓉⓂⒶⓈ

We seem to say this every year…..but how is Christmas already here? Somehow, time seems to slip by even faster than the year before it. But, seeing it through a child’s eyes once again opens up an awareness or an appreciation to savor the little moments. Even though we couldn’t be with our grandchildren this Christmas, we were able to share the experience virtually. Thank goodness for Facetime! Finally, after all the anticipation, Santa delivered. In a way, we felt like we were there, watching wrapping paper and bows thrown about, hearing the boys screaming with excitement about their new toys, bringing back a flood of memories of all those chaotic mornings that we tried so hard to make perfect. Easton had hung in there all morning to open up his big present from us……a new bike. Devin and Hannah decided it would be best to leave it in the box, and have Easton involved in building it. Can’t wait to see his first riding experience on it. After their own Christmas celebration, they arrived safely in Wisconsin (a 4-hour drive) to see Devin’s mom and stepdad. It warms our hearts knowing that Hannah and Devin and the grandkids are having a wonderful Christmas.

We didn’t dig into OUR celebration with a delicious Egg Shirley breakfast and mimosas, along with our gift exchange until late morning. It is quite a lengthy, drawn-out process with the “one present at a time”

rule which we hope gives each gift the attention it deserves, rather than tearing through everything in a matter of seconds. Of course this only delays other things……..like beignet making. About 15 years ago, Jeff and I started this tradition of spreading a little holiday cheer to our neighbors in the way of food but thought it a good lesson in “giving” for our kids as well. The lesson seems to have paid off as without hesitation, Shane made those deliveries once again, despite the rain.

With the beignets a hit, and the kitchen a mess of flour and powdered sugar, it was time to move onto the main dishes for our Christmas feast. And it most certainly was a team effort as we each tackled a task. Many hands made our short time frame manageable. Shane handled the Au Gratin Potatoes with his first experience in using a mandoline, mom kept dish duty flowing while keeping an eye on the honey-baked ham, I concentrated on my pumpkin cheesecake pie and spinach salad, and Jeff handled the most involved dish and the conversation piece of the evening….a 5-foot long artichoke,

spinach stuffed pretzel, which was just going in the oven when everyone showed up.

The company, the food and the laughs made it a very special Christmas indeed! And just like earlier in the day, everyone worked together with clean-up duties as well.

It’s hard to believe this time last year, we were in Louisiana celebrating just the two of us, isolating like most of the world, thanks to a global pandemic. So, sharing the day with the people we love made THIS Christmas that more meaningful!