Gloria in Excelsis Deo: Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Eve day began with my waking up sicker than I've felt during ten weeks of pregnancy. What a morning to be bedridden! After a few hours, I took some Zofran and pain killers, and hoped for the best, but was mostly moving at a snail's pace all day. I lowered what expectations I could and even went to my beloved white board ("command center") and erased my entire to-do list.

Two quintessential goals of the day: decorate the tree and make the meal.

We busted out the inaugural Christmas music and decorated the tree while the 23-month-old napped. With helpers ages 3, 6, and 8, my job this year was fully that of the organizer. I merely opened the bins, put the ornaments on the couch, and let the children put them on in as best a manner as they could.

I attended a cookie exchange with a dozen women
a couple of weeks ago, froze those cookies,
and brought them out to enjoy today!

Just waking up from his nap

The children in front of the decorated tree
(Margaret was boycotting the photo)

Our dinner menu was all homemade this year, save the bread rolls, which certainly isn't always the case! (Depending on my "season," many a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal have been thanks to a deli or Boston Market.)

Christmas Honey-Baked Ham with Pineapple
Baked acorn squash
Macaroni and cheese
Cranberry sauce (mother-in-law's recipe)
Bread rolls (store-bought take-and-bake)
Pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream

Ten minutes before sitting to dine, we experienced a Griswald-esque misadventure: Chris was changing a light bulb in the chandelier above the dining table. From the other room, I heard a loud buzz and Chris shout! He reported a big arc of electricity and we all smelled the burnt odor lingering in the air. A fuse was blown, the electricity went out in three rooms, and the chandelier no longer works.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so we got the fuse fixed, brought in two lamps from other rooms as well as candles, and ate by dim but sufficient lighting.