Christmas Day...and the Second Day.

Christmas Eve dinner: We had our traditional tamales repast at our son's house. The tamales, all sorts, are picked up from a Mexican restaurant around 3 in the afternoon to be enjoyed before going to church.

I didn't even take a single picture of the amazing spread.

I was sadly still feeling pretty wimpy and only enjoyed a couple of bites.  Going to church was out of the question.

 Next year...or maybe sooner, I want a do over on that meal.

The next morning, Christmas morning, Bernie made me breakfast per my request.

One soft cooked egg, and a small glass of sparkling apple cider.

It was just the perfect amount of food this year.
As I ate a recalled Christmas breakfasts with fresh baked cinnamon rolls and our sweet pajama clad children eating off these same plates.

I used to love our "just us four" Christmas morning breakfasts.

My Santa chef...thank you for cooking breakfast this year.

...and back to sleep it was for me right after breakfast.
Frenchie guarded my slumber.

Tate hinted as hard as he could that it was time to open presents already.

So around noon...gift time!  Bernie got me a cool camera back pack and tripod.  Thank you honey!

Tate: This is what I've been talking about!

Presents, after all, are meant to be opened, and then the real fun begins!

Ribbons are fun for everyone!

Bags and boxes, wrapping and ribbons.  A feline fantasy come true.

Lots and lots of fun....and then...starting to wind down.

Shhhh...it is nap time....

Bitsy our watcher watches everything from safely beneath the dining table.

Short nap and back to enjoying the post gift opening clutter.
And yes Tate did get the ribbon from that big red package.

Don't know why Bitsy just doesn't want to join in the fun.

Those blue eyes.
So pretty.

Christmas night we had dinner at our son's house. 

He and his wife had cooked:

Beef tenderloin
Rustic rosemary yeast rolls
Salad with pomegranate seeds served with home made dressing
Morel mushroom sauce
Ruth Chris Steak house recipe for sweet potato casserole topped with pecan praline. 

Bernie had made a butternut squash risotto with Parmesan cheese.

Dessert was Jeff's home made Dutch Apple Pie.

These folks are serious cooks.  I mean VERY serious.

Which brings us to Monday.
Now what?  Oh, let me guess...you want us to light the Hanukkah candles, right?
Sorry Tate.  Not until after Sundown. 
Be patient.

Monday night, night seven of Hanukkah.  Each night I have so enjoyed the quiet moments when Bernie would read a Bible passage about light, and then we would sit and enjoy the watching the candle's glowing lights.

He even mad latkes the first night. I only ate a few bites but they turned out perfect.
I think he will be taking over the latke making for us.

At last some thing drew Bitsy out from under the dining table.

In fact, every night either she or Tate have sat and watched the candles twinkle in the window.

(Don't you love the shallow dept of field effect that creates bokeh light that are seen behind her? I also got a new "prime" lens for Christmas and it just rocks for focus and bokeh!)

From the front window we watched the candles reflections combine with in the Christmas lights outside, while the other end of the room framed a view of the Christmas tree glowing outside on the deck.

Each evening presented a colorful feast for the eyes wherever we looked.

And to finish up: One funny story:

Bernie decided to make a batch of sugar cookies after I mentioned how much I missed having Christmas cookies in the house.

I napped while he baked, and when I went in to see the cookies, I was surprised to see that only a few had sprinkles.

I asked if he hadn't known where all the sprinkles were kept.

Turns out...he knew where the sprinkles were kept alright.
It just turns out that he doesn't like sprinkles on his cookies.

I, on the other hand, like my cookies so heavily sprinkled that not a bit of cookie can be seen peeking out from beneath all the  sugary color.

Thirty five years of Christmases...with heavily sprinkled sugar cookies each and every year and at last he finally got to have Christmas cookies the way he likes them!

*****

Saturday was my final day of fever; I haven't felt very strong, and haven't been able to eat much BUT...I am feeling better, with chest pain only occuring when I breath deeply.
Being fever free now for two day, I am returning to work tomorrow.
Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes. It has been almost a full month of feeling awful; I am hoping from now on out I will be getting stronger with every passing day.

Thank you everyone who shared your Christmas on your blog; it was surprising how happy it made me feel to read about how Christmas was spent in the homes of people whose lives I enjoy following via blogdom.