I'm tired, but in that drowsy, satisfied kind of way. My headache finally went away. Hubband is home from his annual visit to his friend Squirrel's. I watched the better part of two DVD's with Nana and Grandma. (I napped a little through "Shrek".)

Last night we had a great visit with the Dad's family. Ate some good food and opened our gift certificates. I cooked up some Mac & Cheese (from scratch) to take since I had no clue what type of food was being served. It worked out well with the BBQ pork loin and finger foods.

For a change, the hour-long drive home was nice. Great driving along the snowy back roads (and the Mall was closed so there was no one to share them with!).

Little Boy went to bed like a dream and was asleep within 30 minutes. Big Boy wasn't back from church with the Girl, so Hubband and exchanged our gifts.

When we were first together, we tried really hard to buy each other the perfect gift, but never seemed to come up with the right thing. (I won't go into what his intentions were with the Chia Pet but he did mean well.) After a couple of years we decided to just do stockings. Anything we buy for each other must fit in our stockings. Each year we battle to see who can come up with the most original stocking stuffers - or get the coolest stuff to fit in them.

This year Hubband had a theme going with mine. It was a "Buffy" Christmas. I got trading cards and a blank VHS tape labeled specially for "Buffy" taping and a comic book and the soundtrack CD. (It's really very cool music.) I got some other really nice (shiney!) things, too, but he's cute when he does these little theme things. (Remember the *NSYNC birthday?)

That's always my favorite part of Christmas and this year was no exception. There are so few times in a marriage where you get to just focus on each other. I like that we've made it a habit not to share that time with anyone else.

By the time we were done, Big Boy came in carrying all of his presents, still unwrapped! We pitched in and helped him wrap all but the two gifts for us and then opened the present from the Girl.

We had no idea if she would be a part of our celebration or not. She's always welcome whenever Big Boy is around, but she doesn't get over here much. Earlier this year I noticed she had on some cute sox. I have a thing for sox, too. The first Christmas Hubband took me to his family's there was a package for me to open (unexpectedly) and in it were several pairs of sox. Thinking of this, I went out and bought a few pairs for the Girl and wrapped them up really nice.

I certainly wasn't expecting her to buy us anything, it was just a little thing. So when Big Boy came back with her gift in hand and I opened it to find a DVD, I was shocked. It was "Pearl Harbor" which was the movie we went to the night we met her (which happened to also be their first date).

I like it when people think like I do!

This morning we got up at 7 am, got the coffee going and called Nana to trot over in her robe and slippers to watch Little Boy open his Santa presents. We exchanged presents with both boys and they seemed pleased with everything.

Then it was time to get dressed and hustle over to Sister's with my Ham & Egg pies (yum!) for the annual breakfast. She made this sticky bun thing that was awesome. Little Boy wouldn't eat anything but wasn't too unwound, otherwise. Then we opened our name exchange presents.

We had drawn Hubband's Niece and her husband's names. She was easy to shop for, clipping an ad from Marshall Field's showing exactly what she wanted. He was a little more difficult. He put "tie" on his list, but I don't like to buy ties for people. It's too personal. Hubband talked to Niece and she mentioned a DVD that he wanted and some related ideas. So I put together a theme present!

I got a good size bowl that looked kind of masculine and wintery but not too Christmasy. In it I put a big bottle of Coke (his fave), a 2 lb bag of M&M's, some Boston Baked Beans and some microwave popcorn. Then I wrapped the DVD together with a Blockbuster Gift Card and put them in with it. I think I done good.

We were all pleased as punch with our stuff as well.

Then it was time to come home, do a little last minute cleaning, and have Nana and Grandma over for the last of the presents.

Nana surprised Grandma and I each with a video of home movies. They were Christmas and birthday movies from when I was a toddler. Cute as a bug, that little Caribou was. Interesting to see the 'rents together and younger than springtime as well. Funny.

Afterward, I popped in the DVD of "A Knight's Tale" that we had rented, while I prepped the pizzas. We ate and enjoyed (sort of) the movie. Then Little Boy wanted to watch "Shrek" and Hubband ran off to his shindig. I curled up on the floor and napped through most of the movie.

When it was over, Nana shuttled Grandma home and I finalized plans with a friend for tomorrow.

Now that Hubband is home, I'm ready for bed.

I hope all of you had as warm and easy a holiday as this one has been for us.

Peace.