Christmas 2009

This year we had two Christmases--one with Dave's parents and one with mine. The few days before Christmas I spent up in Gualala with Dave (Edward was there for part of it) and we celebrated the holiday on the 23rd with his parents, his brother, and our sister-in-law. (This was the second time I saw Bernie and she actually talked to me. Finally.)

Dave's mom made a delicious ham dinner for us and we exchanged gifts. I didn't take any pictures but it was a good time over all.

The next morning Dave and I packed up and we drove to Livermore so we could hang out with Dyani and Skyler. Of course we got ice cream at Loard's...what else is there to do in Livermore?
The next morning my mom announced that she wasn't done wrapping the gifts (surprise, surprise) and she kicked us out of the house so she could have "some time alone to get it all done." The only place we could think to go was IHOP--and man, was that place packed! After our Christmas breakfast out, we went to the grocery store to get stuff for that night's dinner. Then we all packed up and headed to Davis.

(So basically, Dave and I spent the whole holiday driving around!)

Once we were all in Davis I made a steak dinner and then we had presents around the dining room table. I got a watch from Dave and clothes from my mom. The best gift, however, was the set of mushroom logs from my dad. He gave me a pom-pom log and a shitake log--they are small peat moss logs innoculted with mushroom spores. You can grow the 'shrooms right in the house! I'll show these beauties off in another post.

Dave got a biscuit joiner from me and my dad......and Eddie got a bunch of safety items (a gate, spring loaded, outlet covers, and cabinet locks) from his Grandma and Grandpa. Lucky boy! Once he's survived childhood without electrocuting himself or poisoning himself with cleaning products he'll be grateful.

He had a good ol' time helping Grandpa open all the presents. Ribbon and shiny paper? Yum! Next your I think we'll just wrap up a bunch of boxes for him and fill them with bits a paper...he probably won't care about presents yet.We gave my mom a small photo book full of Eddie pictures. I put them in chronologial order starting with my "belly shots" of the pregnancy.The morning after Christmas we all headed up to Fair Oaks for a huge family breakfast at Brooksfield restaurant. My mom's brother and his wife were there, along with her sisters and their husbands, my cousin and his family, and my cousin's friend from China. It was SO fun to see everyone and let them meet Eddie.

A few days later we got to open our "stockings" from my mom. I don't think we've EVER had real stockings...she not organized enough for that so every year our loot is stuffed into some sort of bag. Sometimes it is a paper grocery sack and other times it is a plastic sack. Edward's friend, Crystal was here that day and my mom even got her a "stocking." We got lots of the things we expect to get every year: cans of smoked oysters and candy. Eddie's stocking was hilarious: he got a nursing bra, a gift certificate to the local baby store, and diaper rash cream. I'm sure he's sooooooooooooo thankful for all those items! I know I am!