ADIML: Christmas Day (and Farewell Rachel) | December 25, 2013

This is December 25, 2013!
A full day of family activities, cooking, babies, laughing and of course a solid goodbye for a close friend.

Good morning! I must admit the alarm went off at 7, I tried to be a good Christmas girl and wake up excited for Santa.

I’ll never ever forget how much I enjoy the subtle morning light in this bedroom. And my floral childhood bedsheets, never disturbed. Always welcoming.
I fell asleep next to my laptop. That can’t be good for me, right?

Creepy low-light, high-ISO “good morning” moment.

This lamp has slowly lost pieces of its shade for the last few years. I love the mosaic it has become!
I do some phone stuff. I’m one of those nifty iPhone users now.

Okay, I am more alert! Let’s get out there and say “Merry Christmas!”

Stretch the toes! I only see one sock…where did the other go.
Tuuuuuubbbbbbyyyy….

Evidence strikes. Dad brings in the boy.

I can’t find that other gray sock, so I throw on these beauties. My mom knit these for me, and I wear them sparingly, as the home-knit will stretch.

I miss those morning light streaks when I sleep in.

Smile like Totoro you greasy morning gal.

Christmas scones!!!!!!!
Made from a mix from Lynn’s. It’s speshul.

The fire is roaring! Well, sizzling.
My dad aptly remarks, “If you had woken up at 6, it would have been roaring.”

Love watchin’ the boys play.
HAVE YOU GUYS MET SNOW?
He used to loiter on our back porch. He was dirty and tangly and scrawny and my parents would brush and feed him.
They eventually earned his trust, took him to the vet, checked for IDs, etc.
They adopted him, fixed him up, and now he lives with us!
Since coming into the house, he’s grown about 3 times in size…

Mama does her Christmas nails.

Look at this gorgeous terrarium my mom and dad made for me!
Complete with a Spongebob!!!!!!!!!!! I love it so much. Gahhh.

Tubby looks great in any light.

My dad’s new mug from our recent trip to Canada and New York.
He grew up going to Heid’s when he lived in Syracuse as a child.

I have a scone and my coffee.

It’s for you, mom!

We pass along gifts and unwrap.

Keepin’ those nails safe while they dry.

Every year I give my mom a calendar for the New Year.
This year it has pictures from our Canada & New York trip we took in the fall.

“What do I wear under this?”

T_______________T

MY MOM GOT ME A NEW COAT. It’s beautiful. I love it.
Thank you, mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tubby making it hard to clean up.

But we get the clean up done.

My sweet Yoko. She’s about 15 now, completely blind and deaf.
But she’s still got spirit! She wanders around, explores, comes to say hello…just a bit slower than she used to move.

Kitty kingdom.

I organize the family’s gifts for the little cousins.

My lovely, thoughtful and practical gifts from family and family-friends.
I get bras and tights for Christmas now, and I don’t mind one bit!

Thanks, all.

MmmMMmMmMm, an egg over-easy and turkey bacon. *nom*

The classic toilet, TP shot.
Takin’ Yoko out, lookin’ comfy as heck.

She wanders and does her business!

And as usual, whenever you let Yoko back in, Tubby is there ready to run.

9:45 AM, not bad! Tubby, ready for your nap?

Time to de-grease.

Less dry.

Wash the face, puts the makeups on.

So serious about this makeup.

Mom wants me to evenly distribute this candy into these baggies for the family.
She ordered it online. (It’s not my favorite…)

Throw on some Flower Drum Song of course.

Whoa hello accidentally keeping my phone on silent.

It’s only about 10:30 and our family get together is at 4!

MOOOOM, let’s go on a walk!

She puts in her ear buds to listen to radio. THANKS.

Leaves and light speckles! Hooray!

After moving away from home, I really now appreciate this neighborhood.

I’m also loving the Southern California Christmas decorations that come out.
Snowman cutout. No real snowmen. *sigh*

My old elementary school!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sun is really beating down. Sweat is forming. Oh no.

Neighborhood details.

My mom wants me to design the landscaping for our house. She gave this house as reference.

The mountains look lovely today!

Gotta take a rest!

We make it home and run to the kitchen for a refreshing drink.

I also grab a snack and retreat to my room to finish up the episode of Come Dine with Me that I fell asleep to.
I LOVE COME DINE WITH ME. Ever since living in London last October, I’ve been obsessed finding US-accessible episodes.

I get this awesome text from Sara.
FESTIVE PUPS!

Last night my dad and I shared some of this Stella, and this afternoon I’ll finish the bottle.
Tubby can help.

The neighbor drops off a Santa head.

How kind, some blue eyeshadow to match mom’s top!

Thanks, Dad, for this fabulous photo.
Mom and I work on the gyoza for the family dinner.

Cute and home-made!

Dad works outside in the sun on the grill.

And lil’ Snow relaxes by the window.

Such a gorgeous cat, how could he have been stray?

Gettin’ ready for holiday gatherings.

I again retire to my room, play a few rounds of Quiz Up.

Of course I play a few too many rounds of Quiz Up and end up giving myself 5 minutes to get ready.
Throw on a sweater! Throw on a scarf! Lipstick! Go go go!!!!

Mama!

Alright family, let’s get to Keri’s!

We’ve arrived! One of the first, as usual.

Oh hello.

The lil’ ones are watching a festive episode of Bubbleguppies.

Ooooh pretty cookies.

Hey cutie.

The big cousins arrive!

Needed a change in white balance.

A visitor from the East Coast!

Time to eat!

I love seeing the family all together. Isn’t it exciting and special!

Grandma playing with baby feetsies.

I join the cousins outside for meal time.
Check out that plate! MmmMmm.

Hi baby!

Big cousin loves baby. He wants a little sister so bad!

We got our slow eater and our middle schooler.

The boys in the background trying to get the soccer ball out of the pool.
A hilarious scene.

The boys play handball against the garage as the sun disappears.

Hello, there!

Show ’em how it’s played.

Little cousins pooled their money together and bought the little cousins (and me) gifts. How sweet are they????
I love my elf socks and lip balm.

The kid gift exchange!
There are so many lil’ cousins now that they do a secret santa. It’s too much to get gifts for over 10 kids!

All the kids open their presents and give them to their respective parents.

Best gift.

My little hapa cutie.

And with the “adults” (yes, I count now…*shudder*) we do a white elephant.
This year the gift had to be under $20 and start with the letter M.

I bought a Meowing Cat Clock. 🙂

Time for dessert and coffees.

And then it’s time to go home.

Tubby is happy to have us home!

I bum around on the internet while I wait for the text from Gabby and Rachel.
We’re getting together to watch a movie and have hot chocolate.

Tubby and I watch TV together.

Finally I get the go-ahead to head over to Rachel’s.
Gabby isn’t coming, she got some sort of food poisoning. 😦

Rachel’s!

Haven’t seen her bro in a year or so! Turns out he’s taken up banjo.

Rachel and I make some naughty coffee drinks.

We struggle with the internet and netflix to watch a movie.
Rachel and I are the MOST INDECISIVE people when it comes to finding something to watch. Put us together and it’s really hard haha.