Most anticipated day has arrived! My cold is getting better, so I am feeling better! YIPEEE.. Not fully recovered but better. Everyone should start arriving about 1:30 this afternoon. I will have plenty of time to finish getting the tables ready for the 17 of us that will enjoy Christmas Dinner together. Now that the tables are done, I can get the 15# prime rib ready for the oven. Ev is peeling the potatoes for mashed potatoes, got the mushrooms ready and lastly the salad part of the “crab” that would have for dinner. Jeff & Cesar bringing the crab. Now that all the dinner is ready to cook, I need to get showered and ready for the rest of the day.
About 1130 Ali called to let us know that her and her Mom wouldn’t be able to make it today, Cheri had a migraine headache. Poor thing..We hope she will be better soon. I rearranged the tables and put 6 at the round table in the dinette and 9 of us at the big table in the dinning room.. Perfect.. an easy change to do and I eliminated one table. However Cheri and Ali would be missed. 
Bob, Janet, Carrie and Jason were the first to arrive. Within about 5 minutes of their arrival Lindsy, Chris, Colin as well as Jeff & Cesar arrived. It wasn’t long before everyone unloaded their cars of gifts and food. All the gifts were placed around the tree and everyone took their places around the Christmas tree in the Living room once again.
Carrie jumped up to pass the gifts around to each of us. She likes to do this, as she does it most every year.
I always love watching everyone open their gifts, there is such amazement and excitement. Colin of course is the most interesting to watch! He gets so excited! This year his “grammy & pa” got him is very own “Colin’s Café” with, pots, pan, food, etc.. He was so happy! Our house “Nonni & Poppy’s” is the 3rd gift opening for Colin in less than 24 hours!
Soon after our gift exchange more guest started arriving. Charles, Craig and Jim Brisco strolled in bearing gifts of many sorts. Greeting everyone with kisses and hugs and onto the BAR for that Christmas Cheer.. It wasn’t long before I was back in the kitchen checking up on how all the food was progressing. Chris was outside in the breezeway cracking the 3 crabs that Jeff & Cesar had brought. Everything was continuing on schedule!!
Our late arrival was Jimmie, she had been out visiting all day with friends, spreading good cheer.
We all sat down to dinner about 530.. aww dinner was cooked and served. My job was done.. 
Now I could relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Everyone else is responsible for clean up!!
Jeff & Cesar took control of the cleanup detail. Thanks guys! We didn’t have an official dessert cutting, it was help yourself for the most part.
As the evening wore on our friend Jimmie said she wasn’t feeling well. She was going to put her head down on the pillow on the couch.. I walked away from her and she decided she needed to get to the bathroom ASAP.. while on her way there she lost conciousness/fainted. Just as she was going by the china cabinet at the end of the walkway to the bathroom. I turned just in time to see her fall, but there was nothing I could do to stop her from falling. She hit the cabinet with the side of her cheek as well as her shoulder and down on the tile she was! Immediately Jeff and Charles were at her side comforting her. Jeff checking to be sure that she had no concussion or deep cuts, etc.. Lindsy got on the phone and called 911. It was about 12 mintues and the paramedics were on scene relieving Jeff and Charles of taking care of Jimmie. Jimmie seemed to be ok, other than she had a few bruises and bumps.. Apparently she hadn’t really eaten much that day, probably got some low blood sugar. Thank God she was ok. However to be on the safe side she went to the hospital for further tests. Better to be safe than sorry. Pretty exciting Christmas!
Everett called the hospital every half hour or so till they released her at about 11pm. Ev and Jeff went and picked her up and took her home.
After they returned here to home we all retired to our cozy warm beds for some much needed rest!
Not many were up bright and early on the day after Christmas. Not only was I suffering with the “cold”, so was Lindsy and Jeff. Everyone was up and running about 9am.. I got the left overs of Christmas eve ready for breakfast. We had Mexican breakfast..
We all ate and everyone packed up and went home by about noon. Ev dropped Jimmie’s car off to her (thank God she is ok, feeling pretty bruised but ok), while Jeff drove our car down for Ev to drive back home. I finished cleaning up what I could, then headed for the Roku and movies the rest of the day.. Feeling pretty exhausted myself I needed a movie day.. aawww… can’t wait till next year!
In the mean while Mary Ann and I watched a cute video of her newest little grandson, Lyndon. He just turned one year old on Thanksgiving. We also piddled getting tables arranged, chairs put around for people to sit. The “boys” got home about 3pm (early I was in shock!). Everyone was pitching in getting ready for the big party that would start at about 6pm. 
