...I finally got around to posting! We had a nice holiday chez Saisquoi. Busy, but nice.

I did go to the 1,000 knitters shoot. I'm knitter 279. Franklin was wonderful--if you knit and have the opportunity to take part in this project, I highly recommend it. I'm very excited to see what it becomes--and I feel honored to have taken part. Purl Diva, by the way, is a freaking awesome yarn shop. I'm not sure how often I'll drive out to Brunswick just to go yarn shopping, but it may make a good pick-me-up on days when I'm just not sure how I can go on.

After the knitting and yarn shop fun (I'm holding fast to the yarn diet--but I did buy this book while I was there. I think I'll make one of everything.) I went to wrap gifts with my college roommate. We ate pizza and wrapped gifts and watched White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life. And it was something I really needed to do. I think it may have been a Christmas gift to myself.

Christmas Eve was hideously busy, as always. But as the Christmas Eve service was moved up by an hour, I was at least home at a reasonable hour.

Christmas Eve means lots of church for me--I sing and I do a "Christmas Narrative" in place of the gospel reading. Basically, I wear my storyteller hat and tell the Christmas Story while the kids bring down the pieces to set the Nativity scene. It's lovely, except that the Nativity set the priest likes to use is a gorgeous Italian porcelain one. And every year I watch with fear and trepidation as some of my naughtier children bring the pieces down the aisle--I tell you, it was a Christmas Miracle we didn't lose any this year.

Christmas Eve also means a visit from my in-laws. All of them. Now, I love The Beloved's family. They are crazy--but in a good way. However, they have never quite grasped that I cannot relax until Christmas Eve church is put to bed. My narrative is done from memory, so prior to church I walk around the house reciting it. Usually, the in-laws come over around 4:00 or so and I have to be to church no later than 6:00 to start a carol-sing at 6:30 and mass at 7:00. This year I thought it would work out perfectly--they would come about the time I was leaving and we could all eat dinner together when I got home after church.

Instead, they came at 2:00 when i was still very much trying to get dressed and practice. Sigh. I felt like The Grinch.

Things were fine when I got home. Well, except that most of the food was gone and my sister-in-law was down for the count. But we woke her up to open presents.

I drive my husband nuts because he wants to open presents on Christmas Eve when his folks are around. I like to wait until Christmas morning. So I don't put any of his stuff out until Christmas morning. I'm only a little passive-aggressive. Really.

However, I did relinquish a little this year and open one of his gifts to me on Christmas Eve. It was a sexy nightgown.

The Beloved also came through with a yarn swift. Bless his little soul. I'll try for some pictures later this week--winter light in NH does not make for good photographs. It's time to do something about that....

Christmas Day also brought dinner with my family at my Aunt's house. Good times and lots of food to be had by all.

And Boxing Day saw me back at work. Ah, the joys of a relatively new job--zero vacation time. I'll be going in tomorrow as well, but have New Year's Day off.

And that's about it. We've eaten a lot. Probably too much. But it's been good. After the new year we'll be on bread and water and celery for a while, but I suppose it's all about balance.

I hope that all of are having wonderful holiday seasons filled with time well spent with your families and friends. Continue your celebrations as long as you can--well, at least through Twelfth Night!