We all slept in on Christmas Day! I love having older kids. We spent the morning drinking coffee and opening Christmas presents with the kids. This year was a mix of gifts-Tom usually buys all the high tech gifts and I get everyone practical items like underwear, socks and warm clothes. I especially stocked up on flannel as well as a Western Michigan hooded sweatshirt for Scott in preparation for the Fall when he heads off to Kalamazoo. Turns out he has been able to use all his very warm clothes now! Allison got a new dress and scarves for interviewing. I hope she gets to wear that soon! I outfitted Tom with all his favorite characters like Dr Who, Star Wars, Capitals and even got him a Western Michigan Hockey jersey(so he will be prepared as well when Scott goes off to school). Allison loves her new computer drawing pad. Scott is still enjoying his new Jeep(when it is home!). Of course the kids got new video games. I was not as interested in the high tech gifts that Tom thought I needed. I have been trying to get a cable hook up in the kitchen from him since we remodeled and Tom has not been interested. Instead, he bought me a Fire Tablet, but it only streams recorded shows. Not interested. I would prefer live shows, like the News when I am cooking or doing dishes. He also tried to locate a speaker system for my SiriusXM radio insert from my car(because my car radio is dying). I had hoped the speakers would be small enough to bring the system into work. They were huge and heavy. So that went back. I actually got brave and bought Tom a high tech toy at Home Depot. I picked up a security camera and flood light system for over the garage. It goes with our front door RING security system. He loved it and actually braved the cold and wind on Christmas day to install it over the lower garage. We have been having fun peaking in at the door and the driveway. A little freaky when the house talks to you though(it has a speaker system). Comes in handy though especially when we travel. Which is next on our schedule.
After all the gift opening and clean up, we started on dinner preparations. We also had to finish laundry and packing as we were headed off to Indy to visit Tom's brother Mark and wife Linda at their new house. Plus I decided to continue making cookies so I could drop some off to our neighbors. I had planned on bringing my mom over for opening her gifts and dinner, however, the staff at her apt did not recommend that. The stomach bug had been going around her building and they were on shut down. It was suggested that we not risk having Mom over in case she still had symptoms and to avoid spreading anything to Tom and the kids. I also did not have to catch it again! We also decided not to invite friends or neighbors over since we had too many preparations to complete before our trip.
And I am glad we did not. Turns out our dinner ran a bit late since Tom bought a huge roast which took extra time to cook. So we had a late dinner and then packaged up all our Christmas cookies and cards for the neighbors and hit the road. I took the kids and Cookie and we drove to our farthest neighbor's house, the Plunketts. The family was all up and excited to have us visit, including their dog Ripley. She and Cookie had a great visit, and so did we, complete with hot cocoa. I felt like a caroling group. We did a quick drive by and mailbox drop for several other neighbors, and then we stopped into the Zarlenga household. I had to make sure they had our house key so they could take care of Pika while we were gone. We had decided to take Cookie with us on the road trip to Indy to meet her cousins. Dan was the only one up-Gloria had started a new Nurse Management job and was already ill and in bed. She even had to start on blood pressure medication. What fun(been there, done that).
So we headed home and to bed with our suitcases packed and ready to get up early in the morning for our road trip to Indy.
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