Merry/Happy Christmakuh

I surved my first married Christmakuh... I say this, but really there was not a Hanakuh to this.... Its just fun to say. Yes, my husband comes from a half Jewish/ half Christian family, but the most jewish they get it unpacking the electric Menorah and then forgetting to plug it in. Oh, and his mother makes latkes.

This being our first married Christmas you would think we would be inseperable, but then again that would just not be us... trying to fit in everyone's holiday schedule proved to be a bit more difficult. First, his family does "Christmas" on Christmas Eve (something about sleeping in on Christmas day). So we headed to our first family gathering around 2pm Saturday. We dropped off the pup with his parents and then headed to my family. We ate our traditional Mexican Christmas Eve feast and then went to his parents for presents. From there I headed to Midnight Mass with my mother. (Yes it really starts at midnight)

*Funny side note, during mass the Priest a brief history of time at which point my mother leans over and asks me when Jesus was born (I wanted to say duh mom today... Christmas) but then I realized she meant what year as in BC or AD to which I replied BC = before Christ and AD = anno domini or "year of our Lord." This led to a quiet, but extensive history lesson for my mom.

Then at about 1:30 I finally headed back to the family household, sans hubs. I felt like a teenager trying to sneak in after being out too late... However, my cover was blown by the chihahua police (aka Hubble and Hopie.) The barked me right in the door and up the stairs.... Needless to say, I did not awake at the crack of dawn to open presents. I staggered out of bed around 9:30 to yet another puppy alarm.

The family proceeded to make and eat breakfast and then enjoyed a civilized present-opening experience. One at a time, nice and slow (accompanied by champagne!) After presents, hubs went back to his fam for lunch while I stayed and helped with dinner! I have slowly over time been allowed to graduate from salad preparation and this year served as sous pie chef and vegetable preparer! (Roasted carrots and parsnips with feta and balsalmic glaze). We only had two minor holiday catastrophes: 1. stopped up disposal; and 2. smoking oven... Minus that we had a delightful meal with family and friends.

After dinner we heaed back to hubs's parents to load up the pup and stuff and head home! Well, after we moved a glass cabinet and made sure pup did her business and took home too many leftovers. When we finally arrived all I wanted to do was sleep!

Yesterday was no different. We made a trip Lowe's to use some giftcards. Three light fixtures, two doorknobs, two cans of paint, caulk, and 4 lightbulbs later we were off for new tennis shoes! When we finally arrived home (after visiting the grocery store) we got to work on more home improvements. Since hubs has the week off, he is my obligatory handyman! We've got two closets and a front door to paint and new kitchen light fixtures to hang! We would have already had a new front door handle, but I CANNOT get the old one off.... The doorknob has won that fight for now. Needless to say, I was a little excited to come to work this morning where I could plant myself in my office and not be bothered.... Holidays are nice, but sometimes there is respite in my solitude of an office.

So Merry/Happy Christmakuh everyone, make the rest of 2011 the best. ~The Illegal Blonde