Merry Christmas!

Chelsea, Eline, and I are enjoying a very white Christmas in N. Idaho! We have had a great visit with all our family. Eline has fit right in with the rest of our family. She and my dad have enjoyed sharing their jar of pickled herring. (YUK!!!) We all gathered here at Mom and Dad's house on Christmas eve, as we do every year. We had a great meal and then opened presents. Everyone was very spoiled by my parents, and we all had a wonderful time. We went to my sister's church for the candlelight service which was beautiful as usual. Later everyone went to their own homes, and Chelsea, Eline and I went back to Mom and Dad's. The girls watched National Treasure and the rest of us went to bed.

On Christmas morning the living room was filled once again with presents. These were mostly my presents to the girls and to my parents. Mike arrived around 9:30 and we had to wake the girls up in order to open presents. For all of those anxiously awaiting: Mike gave me beautiful diamonds for Christmas, a necklace and earrings. I was thrilled and relieved, because I am not ready for anything else right now. He got along well with all of my family, but had to head back to Montana today because we got about 8 inches of snow last night with more coming. Chelsea was thrilled with her presents also. She got a laptop, which wasn't a surprise since she paid for half of it, plus many other gifts. Eline was thrilled because I spent the same on her as I did on Chelsea, with the exception of the laptop. That was fair because she got about the same amount in $$ from her father for Christmas. I really don't think Eline expected anything so it was fun to see her face when she saw the pile of gifts for her.

The girls are now at the movies with all my teenage neices. They went to see National Treasure 2 and then they are going to the Resort for "gooies" which are some sort of huge ice cream dessert.

I am just chilling and enjoying the quiet.

Mom is doing much better, but is dreading her second surgery on Jan. 10th. I wish I could be here to help out, but unfortunately the girls and I all need to return to school.

Eline goes back to Utah tomorrow to spend some time with her best friend, and Chelsea and I will return on Sunday.

We hope all of you had as wonderful a Christmas as we have had. You can't ask for anything better than spending the holidays with family and those you love.