Merry Christmas

For the first time in 18 Christmas' in the Heinisch home we actually slept until 8 a.m. on Christmas morning. Cameron's siblings told him that they were not getting up until 8:30, so there was no reason to rise early.  As is the tradition on Christmas morning, the stockings filled with candy and iTunes gift cards were opened first.  They each used to have a CD in their stockings, but the invention of iPods changed that several years ago.

Once the stockings were emptied, Santa gifts were opened next.  Three for each child to match the number of gifts given to baby Jesus many years ago. The Heinisch children then had a gift to open from each of their siblings and parents.  This year's highlights were the book The Great Deformation for Brett, an Oladipo jersey for Cal, Just Dance 2014 for Meg and a bouncy chair for Cameron.  I was thrilled with my multitude of purple and yellow kitchenware, and Doug scored big time with a new wine refrigerator.  Morning clean up started around 10 a.m., Grandparents were called to wish a Merry Christmas to, and several rounds of Just Dance were played before 1 p.m. rolled around.

At this time Grandma Jane and Grandpa Cutes arrived with a van full of presents and several food dishes to enjoy with our Christmas dinner.  The Heinisch children thoroughly enjoyed their IU gifts - an IU blanket for Brett, an IU basketball encyclopedia for Cal, candy striped pants for Meg and IUopoly for Cameron.  Doug now has an electric griddle of his own, and I loved my frame preschool picture of Zip the monkey and I from years ago.  Doug made a wonderful ham with his famous jalapeno corn dish.  Mom supplied the relishes and desserts.  Games of pool, Just Dance, Jenga and IUopoly were enjoyed before the evening came to an end.

As we watched Despicable Me 2 late into the evening, Meg said, "This has been the best Christmas ever."  I couldn't agree more.