Jay and I were the first ones up.  That hasn't happened in a while but it might be the new normal.

We made coffee and cleaned up the remains of the party from the night before.  One by one, the kids joined us.

Zack had fallen asleep in the tv room right after the movie ended.  I asked him why he didn't move to the bigger couch and he said "I'm a college student; I pretty much just pass out right where I am."

Jay had a chance to get the hash browns and sausages cooking before Josie wandered downstairs.  Then we were all up and it was time for opening presents.

That took a while.  It was fun.

Then Jay and I finished cooking (I did sweet rolls, Jay did everything else) while the kids set the table and played Mario Kart wii.

After breakfast, there was more playing.

Then we went and saw True Grit, which has been getting rave reviews.  Of course, this being Minnesota, we all love our Coen bros.

After the movie, we came home, wolfed down some leftovers for lunch, gathered up the rest of the presents and headed for my folks house.  Jay and some of the kids detoured to our friends, the Gates to hand off some more presents but soon we were all at my parents where my side of the family was gathering in huge numbers.

Margy and her boys were the only ones not in attendance.  JP and Royana were back from the coast for the first time in years and it was Roy's first Minnesota Christmas.

There were presents and lots of good food and tons of laughs and plenty to drink.  Even though a lot of the grand kids are grown up, there were still plenty of little kids around, thanks to Andy and MJ.  The range of grandkids is 28 years to 10 months.  It was fun and noisy.

Kids and their parents started crashing right around ten o'clock.  I was still having a blast when I looked up and all my kids (except Jay and Zack, who had left, exhausted, an hour earlier) were in their coats, looking bleary eyed at me, saying "Are we leaving?"

I can take  a hint. 

Sometimes.

We were home by 10:30 and I was asleep in bed by 10:40.

It was another fun Christmas.

 

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