Family Time, Part Two

Last Sunday was a perfect, sunny, clear-blue December day to travel to another town to celebrate Christmas with the rest of Hubbie's family at his daughter and son-in-law's home near the lake. Some of those who had visited us on Friday were also there.

Daughter decided to serve what she called a non-traditional lunch of pasta varieties that included chicken spaghetti, plain spaghetti with sauce, and pasta Alfredo. My contribution was an 11-bean soup with ham and Rotel to start the meal, and Daughter made a large salad, and toasted butter-and-herb bread to accompany the pastas.

Hubbie's other daughter tried out a new recipe on us, using Brie cheese as a filling for a hot, crusty appetizer. Mother and I really liked it, but most of the others turned their noses up at it... this daughter's son said it tasted like bad wine. Since no one else liked it, we brought it home, and Mother and I enjoyed slices of it for several days.

Besides those foods, a card table was laden with dips, cheese balls, cookies, cakes, and fudge. There were also chocolate and coconut cream pies, a cheesecake, and a big platter of fresh fruit.
There was no excuse for anyone to leave that house hungry!

While the meal was being prepared, some of us worked a jigsaw puzzle...a nutcracker motif...that we had brought along as part of the day's entertainment. Some of the guys entertained themselves with a football game on TV. The little ones played or napped, and got generous helpings of cuddling and kissing from doting grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

After lunch, we gathered near the Christmas tree to open gifts. Daughter surprised Mother and me with a large tote of scrapbooking supplies. Hubby got a novel sprinkler for the garden.

Then it was time to gather for the family snapshot. We had to squeeze together to get all 18 of us in the picture. A grandmother cautioned a young grandson to keep a straight and smiling face for the picture or he wouldn't be allowed to open a gift when he got home. This same youngster had made awful faces for the snapshots I'd taken the Friday before. Boys will be boys.

Shortly after that, we gathered our belongings and headed home. The sun had just sunk below the western hills, leaving a red glow that silhouetted the winter-bare trees. And in the eastern sky, a full and dazzling white moon was already well above the horizon against a soft pink sky, bordered below by pale blue...nature providing the perfect end to a perfect day.