Christmas Eve

We've been quite busy going here and there and managing with the kids. This Christmas Eve has been quite relaxing and that's been very nice for all of us here. We're looking forward to our first Christmas doing things the Gates way. All of Lincoln and Lydia's presents are wrapped, and the stocking stuffers are ready. Even though Lincoln spoiled my presents for Jenn, she still doesn't know what Santa is bringing for her stocking, so I have a feeling we'll all be surprised in the morning. Yea!

After spending a great couple of days with Grandma Laura, Grandpa Dave and Auntie Haley (not Aunt Haley, Lincoln reminds us), we all went down to Columbus for a visit with the Parkinsons. Jenn stayed an extra day and met up with some more friends and family on Thursday and then came home in the evening.
If all goes well, I'm planning on renewing an old Gates Family tradition and watching A Christmas Carol this evening, specifically the George C. Scott version. We always watched that on or around Christmas growing up. I recall watching it some years when Grandma & Ed were over for dinner. Ed was good for the first 45 minutes before his head would roll back and he'd seranade us with snoring. Good times those were. Emily is probably getting a small chuckle out of this memory. And speaking of Em, we'll be meeting up with Auntie Em & Uncle Jeremy tomorrow at Grandma Paulette & Grandpa Doug's house tomorrow afternoon. If you're reading this before Dec. 26, please keep Jeremy in your prayers as he's going to be doing some traveling to get some contracts finalized all while juggling a family Christmas schedule. God bless him. (And God bless us, everyone!)
It's been interesting to observe Gretel over the past week. Things are clicking pretty well and she's been a fantastic dog. She seems to have left her chewing phase behind. She's also much more of a social dog at this age than Bridget was, and that's saying a lot. Bridget was nothing short of completely friendly, but she wasn't as interested as sitting next to you and getting a non-stop pet early on in her life as she was when she was 4-6 years old. Gretel wants to be touching or leaning against us at all times, and it's a crack-up. (Unless she's sleeping on her bed, and then it's a challenge to get her up!) She'll turn 1 year old in just over a week!