Christmas Day 2011 - Christmas Dinner

Mom came over to our place in the afternoon and we had Christmas dinner at about 5:00 p.m. We had turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans amandine and dinner rolls. It was all very delicious. Dale did almost all the dinner prep although I did help baste the turkey. I also carved the turkey and Mom made the gravy. We had chocolate roulade for dessert. It was all delicious.

Christmas Day 2011 - Christmas Cocktails

I indulged in a Christmas cocktail while Dale and I opened stockings. This one is a Tanqueray martini (shaken, not stirred) with olives.

Christmas Day 2011 - Opening Stockings

Dale got a Mrs. Potato Head in his stocking. He seemed to really enjoy putting her together.

Christmas Eve 2011 - Dinner at Mom's

After the Christmas Eve service, Dale and I went to Mom's for dinner. We started with some lovely hor d'ourves of brie cheese and jelly on crackers. For dinner we had cheese fondue and steak. Brownies for dessert.

Christmas 2011 - Christmas Eve Service

Dale and I sang at the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service at Gethsemane Episcopal Church this afternoon. Mom attended the service. I had a solo in Children Run Joyfully, that went, if I do say so myself, pretty well. The service itself was lovely and it was so nice to have Mom there with us. The above photo was taken on December 4th. We haven't had much snow this season. In fact, it's the first brown Christmas we've had since 2006.

Christmas 2011 - Christmas with Ed Ames

I've been looking for Christmas with Ed Ames on CD for a few years now. Mom's had the vinyl edition since as long as I can remember. The album was originally released in 1967. As a kid one of my favorite Christmas songs was Carol of the Donkey. I've never heard anyone but Ed Ames sing a this song about a donkey that feels he's not good for much but finds joy when he's the one picked to carry the Virgin Mary on his back. One of my all time favorite Christmas songs is I Wonder As I Wander and my first exposure to it was on this album. Ed Ames has a most gorgeous baritone voice. Listening to this disc has brought back some very good feelings of Christmases past...

Christmas 2011 - Angel Figures

Today I set out these angels that Mom gave me a few years back. They appeared in the house on Stevens for many, many Christmases. Mom says that Grandma Jean gave them to her in the early or mid-1970s.