Traveling for Christmas?

Anyone traveling for Christmas this year?

No thank heavens! Staying put and just relaxing. Finished decorating inside and out yesterday so I'm glad we will be HOME to enjoy it all....how about you Dotsie?

I have to drive clear across town which is about a 45 minute drive to my son's house and believe it or not I dread the drive. Whats happening to me, I use to drive 100 miles just for no reason, to get a White Castle or some other nonsensicle reason, boy have times ever changed for me....

Not me. My MIL and 1 SIL are coming for about 8 days. My kids are all here.

My kids are coming here the day before Christmas. The next morning, we are all going down to pick up Chuck's mother and spend Christmas day at his brother's house. To be honest, I'd rather stay home. But my family wants to go, so I will go with them. Hopefully it will go better than past holiday visits have.

My Daughter is coming home on Dec 18 and staying until the middle of February...I feel so grateful to be able to have her with me for so long..my son in law ...a Navy Pilot...is leaving for a 2 month deployment to the Middle East tomorrow...I pray he comes home to us safely...he has been on 3 similar deployments since they moved to Washington State and my daughter was so lonely...we couldn't let her stay out there alone this time, especially over the Holidays...I pray that all of our families traveling a distance this year have safe journeys.

Chatty..I know what you mean about those long drives...and I especially hate driving alone at night now!!!

Pam, I feel the same way about traveling. We are staying home and I couldn't be happier.

Bluebird, are they staying with you?

Jackie, yup, we do what the family wants!

Blondi, how long has it been since you've seen her?

Yes, Dotsie, my MIL and SIL will stay with us. My son's friend will be heading back to New Orleans before Christmas so he won't be here. Other than that, all 8 of my kids, my SIL and grandson and most likely, one son's GF will all be here for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
To add to it, one of our sons was born on Christmas Eve day and it is also the day, 25 years ago, Jim and I got married! We're crazy!!!

Congratulations Bluebird...25 years is quite a Milestone!!!These Holidays will be very memorable for you...

Dotsie...my daughter and son in law were home for 8 days in August...but it feels like forever since I've seen her...

Thanks, Avalon! Most of the time I want to hit him with a milestone but I guess I'll keep him.

bluebird, how and what in the world do you feed everyone on Christmas Eve and Christmas. My mind is always on food.

Blondi, I thought I remembered that she had just moved there. Right?

Christmas Eve is my son's b.d so he gets to decide what we have. We used to make homemade pizza because that's what my mom always made.
Christmas Day, we have roast beef because that's what my inlaws always made. I'm so used to cooking for a large family that having a few extra doesn't matter much. I could care less about the food, my focus is on the banquet table at church. That's what fills me...

Bluebird...

We have five children, looking back over the years we've always invited others to our table to share.
Have you noticed over the years, how you invite... but, are not invited because of so many more mouths to feed?
Like you say when you cook for a large family, the few extra's really doesn't matter.

My youngest daughter's birthday is the day after Christmas...so is my brother's daughter.
She will be 21 this year.

Congrat's, on the 25th anniversary!

Happy Birthday to your son.

Dotsie,
My daughter has been in WA for 2 years..she was married the day after Christmas 2003 and went there right after the Honeymoon...they will be there one more year and then back East to finish my son in law's obligation to the Navy...which will be a tour of duty teaching at Annapolis...I can hardly wait as it's less than 2 hours from me...I can run down for lunch if I want to...and she is anxious to start a family but wants to wait until they are closer to home...woo hoo...I could be a Grandmother in another 2 years if I am lucky!!!
Brenda..I hear you about the lack of invites...i have 4 kids and so for that reason I guess the party is always at my house..it's fine though...the more the merrier!!!

Brenda, thanks for the anniversary wishes and birthday wishes for my son! He will be 16.
And oh yes!!! have I noticed that we don't get invited anywhere!! Even in our families...no one "has room" for us. Oh well. I've gotten used to it and I was raised by Sicilian parents who welcomed everyone in and loved to feed people.

What are the ages of your kids? Mine are 24,20,18,16,12,8,6 and 3. The oldest and youngest are girls, 6 boys in between! God has a wonderful sense of humor (I haven't always laughed ,though!!)


[ December 08, 2005, 05:15 PM: Message edited by: Bluebird ]

My "kids" ages are 32,28,25,25,and 20. Oldest, and youngest are also girls.

Yes...I also have gotten use to not being invited...not a problem.

I see you have twins there! Identical?
How many grandchildren do you have? I have 1, he's 2 and of course, smart and adorable!

No, the twins are fraternal. I have one grandson, he's 15.
My daughter's, to-be had his daughter come to live with them this year...so now I have a 13 year old grandaughter.
So, glad she's here...her mother's new husband was abusive.
She has just now started to talk about it all.
Her dad has filed for full custody in the state of Va., and hired an attorney in Conn.
She wrote an article for her school newspaper last month...telling about coming to live with her dad and to be step mom. How happy she was to have someone to love and keep her safe. Told of her mom lying to her about her dad's love for her, and how at Christmas time she was never allowed to keep the christmas presents he sent. Mom took them back to the store for refunds.
Spam was the Christmas dinner for the last several years.
She was so thrilled having Thanksgiving here....I was thrilled for her. Made all of her favorite dishes....first thing she wanted was green bean casserole.
She got out just in time, her step dad was just on the verge of being sexually abusive.
My son Dan drew her for Christmas...so I was able to buy the items she had on the list for Christmas.
It gave me much pleasure to do so.

Oh Brenda, I'm so glad she has all of you. What is wrong with people that makes them hurt children? I will never understand it.

From what she has said I believe the step dad sold drugs out of the house.
Just hope all goes well with the lawyers and such, and she never has to return.
The only thing she has express missing is her 7 month old baby brother. She took care of him, did the wash and made whatever dinner they had.
She now has a 13 year old's life.

Brenda,
We need to clone you and put you out into the world. You're such a good woman.

JJ

Brenda, I'm sure she will be much better off having you for a grandmother.

Daisygirl

Thanks...I appreciate that.
She is truly the most innocent teenager that I have ever seen. Just doesn't know any of the lingo or anything. Breathe of fresh air. She had never even been to a restaurant for dinner, no kidding.
Well, she knows about them now....my daughter doesn't cook, she's the carry out queen.

Our family is going to my BIL's this Christmas weekend in Leyden, MA. It is on the Vermont border. My son decided he wanted Santa to still come to our house while we are gone. Thank God for that- I don't have to figure out how to pull that off. I want to stay home this year and veg out. But we have not be to my BIL's for years. So we go.

We were supposed to be staying at their newly built post and beam home but my SIL fell a onth or so ago and shattered both legs. Hence, theya re living in a retreat until they can finish their home. They have rented the retreat for the holdiays and we expect 24 people to be there. Should be very nice. Just don't want to travel through the snow belt of the Berkshires or miss the day after Christmas sales. I get the best cards and stuff for almost nothing!

Merry Christmas to all.

Lynn

Lynn, 24 people? Sounds like fun to me. Ayy kids for your son to play with? So Santa will come whilel you are gone and he'll get to have Christmas all over again? Fun idea! Smart kid...

Boy Lynn your SIL is braver than I would be, to entertain that big a crowd with two broken legs, bless her heart...