...and a Merry Christmas Was Had by All!

Christmas night is here -- time to reflect on what a beautiful December we had this year.  My dad arrived a week ago and my daughters have been in and out, work schedules permitting,   We decorated the Christmas tree -- the light-up angel on top graced our family tree when I was a child.  It's a family heirloom and as children my brother and sisters and I named her "Angela" -- our Christmas angel.

We did all the things that the season is all about -- shopping, wrapping, ordering, making gifts, baking, cooking, sending out Christmas greetings, meeting up with old friends.  We enjoyed the always-awesome Christmas concert that our church holds each year.  We played table games, nibbled on sweets, and laughed out loud watching old favorite movies like Christmas Vacation and Home Alone.  Little surprises were tucked behind the doors of our wooden Advent Calendar for the girls to take turns opening when they were home.  Fires crackled in the fireplace -- my baby cat Scarlett even met Santa Claus.

My birthday was earlier in the week so my dad and I drove up to San Francisco to spend the day with my daughters.  The plan was that we would pick them up at their apartment and then go to Union Square and have lunch at The Cheesecake Factory.  However, when I called Ash to let her know we were almost there she informed us there would be a bit of a detour.  Apparently Lys, who had to work that morning, parked where she often does for work but they were having a special event and put up no parking signs that she didn't notice in her rush to get to work.  When she went to get back in her car after her shift -- it had been towed!   We picked up Ash and then went downtown to pick up Lys and made our way to the police impound yard.  After she paid the $392 to bail her car out (which seems like highway robbery to me!), we were on our way to Union Square.

Downtown San Francisco was set to get us in the holiday spirit!  The stores were decorated to the max and the ice skating rink and huge Christmas tree on Union Square were enticing.  

 

 

As always the food at The Cheesecake Factory was delicious and I enjoyed a nice big slice of Ghiradelli Chocolate Cheesecake for my birthday cake!

So despite our little side excursion, my birthday was absolutely wonderful!

A couple of days later the girls were back at my house for Christmas weekend.  Christmas Eve we went to a Candlelight Christmas service at our church -- it was breathtaking!  We all joined in for carol singing and then from one flame, candle by candle we lit our own candles until the church was aglow.  It was a very moving moment and we all sang Silent Night.

Christmas Day dawned and after a leisurely breakfast we opened gifts by the tree. Many oohs and ahhs and heartfelt thanks later, we were back in the kitchen where we made our turkey and trimmings dinner.  All to soon the girls packed up their car and headed back to the city.

How blessed I feel to have the family I have in my life!  Hope you, too, had a merry little Christmas!

For now I say...

   ...and to all a good night!