Christmas Eve, the Plague, and Other Tales

Abby tries sneaking in a healthy breakfast. . .

Happy Pre-Christmas, gangsters.

It wouldn't be fitting for the Houghs to celebrate a major holiday without some major illness befalling one or more members of our group.  As you all know, Thanksgiving isn't all that awesome of a time for we Houghs, but usually Christmas passes by without any major calamity sweeping through.

At least it usually does.

My roommates are lame.

All this weekend, Kris was couch-ridden with a nasty cold that totally immobilized her.  At first she figured it was just her allergies acting up, but for three days she was completely drained off energy, and could barely function around the house.

As such, this left Yours Truly to pick up the last-minute, final-stretch slack around the house.  Good times.

The yard.  Or what's left of it.

Appropriate Christmas pastimes. . .

Enjoying a rare pipe break while the roommates catch up on naps.

Donde esta mi hija?

So the other day, Kris' church was having this thing where members could bring in old valuables and have an open gift exchange for the Holidays.  They set up several tables, and people brought in all kinds of stuff that you might find at a garage sale before it's been picked through.  I brought in a stack of old records that I no longer wanted (or else had more scratches than an audiophile like myself could tolerate), some books, odds and ends, and even a few swords.

Unfortunately, we missed the two earlier services, where most of the good trading was done, so by the time we got there everything was picked through, and no one snatched up any of our stuff.  We left everything but the swords (which, for the umpteenth time, I could not get rid of) at the church to be donated, and went home.

Before leaving the church, however, Kris had been speaking with a woman about an antique sewing machine and table set.  Upon realizing that Kris was interested in the table, the woman - who had been anxious to get the table out of her guest room for some time - offered to drive it over to our house.  We had no prior notion what the sewing machine looked like, so when the woman and her husband dropped it off, we were stunned to discover how nice it was. . .

A 1961 Sears Kenmore Model 90 Sewing Machine.  The motor was recently replaced, and the machine appears to be in mint condition (I found this particular picture online - Kris' is in a lot nicer shape, as is the table).

Now all Kris needs to do is learn how to use the damn thing. . .

The table itself is in really nice shape, and - as an added bonus - matches the rest of our bedroom furniture.  Since Kris doesn't know how to sew yet, this thing will probably be a clutter stand for awhile.  Cowabunga. 

Checking off another Christmas Classic off the list:  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Burl Ives.  Represent.

As Christmas Eve rolled in, Abby seemed to catch whatever had sidelined Kris for the weekend.  She 'didn't feel good,' and constantly complained about her stomach and her butt.  At first we chocked it up to constipation, but eventually came to the realization - in horror - that our kid would probably be sick for Christmas. . .

Testing out the Skype connection with Papa and Nana. . .

Entering in Sam Adams' Old Fezziwig's Ale into my Beer Journal app.

Skyping with Grandma and Papa John.  We decided to open up some gifts with them for Christmas Eve, and allowed the girls to open up one each.  Kris and I, as custom dictates, opened up the tree ornaments we get each other each year.

Kris got me a ukulele ornament this year, which is fitting, as I'm borderline obsessed with the stupid things.

Abby opened up a VTech Slide n' Text Phone (like one of those cell phones where a keyboard slides out from the side).  Has lots of letter/number recognition, but also games and play modes that she can waste time with. . .

We had Alayna open up her LeapFrog Tag Reader, which we really wanted her to get this year due to her increasing interest in learning how to read.

Texting.

The Cannonball tries out her new Tag Reader. . .

I got Kris a Wicked Witch Hallmark ornament this year. . . which she practically commanded I get her.  Usually it's the other way around.

2012 Ornaments

Tracking Santa via Google Earth on my Android.  I think here the Fat Man was en route from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan.  You know how popular he is over there. . .

Picking cookies to leave out for Santa.  Big hit.

I think she's making sure they haven't been poisoned.

Writing a label so Santa know the cookies have been laid out for him, opposed to some other fictional holiday character.  Like Krampus.

(She wasn't sure how to spell this.)

The one time per year you can read this book without it being weird.

Santa sprang into action once the kids went to bed. . .

Our hodge-podge assortment of stockings.  Next year I think I want to buy a family set.

The girls' two main gifts (which they technically got from Santa).  Doll set-up for Abby, bike for Alayna.

Priming the Living Room for Christmas. . .

Skype set up for Christmas Morning.  I was able to buy an adapter off Amazon so I can run my MacBook Pro into the TV via HDMI, which gives us a pretty solid picture when Skyping with grandparents. . .

Ready.

- Brian