Yep, the ol' picture loading "thingy" is working, as you know, so I can finally share a few (I promise, only a few) pictures that were taken during the Christmas holiday celebration. If you don't know it already, Christmas for us is in three parts; Christmas Eve party with family (and some friends), Christmas Day with my family, and a post-Christmas lunch or supper with Edie's family. Here are a few (yes, I said there would only be a few) pictures from each, those I feel highlight my personal holiday experience.


CHRISTMAS EVE



MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!




Yes, my brother, Ed, made it home! Here he is at the Christmas Eve party.




Edie enjoyed the party. Here she is with David, the party's host.



CHRISTMAS DAY



Mom and Dad at the dinner table. Yum, a complete ham AND a complete turkey dinner.




A little something really special. Ed had given Dad this boat model a few years ago, but Dad's failing dexterity and sense of feeling prevented him from assembling it. Ed secretly whisked the model away to a safe-to-assemble location, assembled it, and surprised Dad with it as one of his gifts. (Their expressions are a bit quirky because they had only just stopped crying a moment or so earlier.)




Opening gifts can make me smile.




Here's Edie, with a bow on top. What else can I say?



As the remains from dinner were cleared away, dessert made it's way to the table.


POST-CHRISTMAS LUNCH



I love opening gifts.



Edie and I with her nephews.


In summary, Christmas 2008 was wonderful! I can only hope and pray that Christmas 2009 will be the same.