Christmas Day 2012

As always, Santa has been good to us this year. And the kids were kind as well, with Grace not waking up until 8am, at which time the festivities began.

Julia's favorite music is the soundtrack to Les Miserables (go figure), and with a touring company coming the Academy of Music in a week or so and the movie version starting today, this Christmas season for her has been all about wanting Les Miz stuff. She wasn't disappointed. Santa managed to get 3 tickets for the matinee downtown a week from Saturday, along with all sorts of books, CDs, videos and movie tie-in materials. She was in heaven. As I write this at 2:30 in the afternoon on Christmas day, she and Amp are at the movies. She doesn't even know she is also getting a Nintendo 3DS xl later, which will also make her very happy.

Grace got a kitchen set for her American Girl doll collection, some other doll odds and ends, an Otter Box to protect her already cracked iTouch, One Direction CDs, and a bunch of little things.

Amp got some clothing, a nice pair of boots, some music (Bruno Mars) and a few other things.

I was fortunate to get some music (all Asia; Phoenix and "XXX", and a live one from 2009), a couple of books (digital photography and a nice guitar how-to), as well as a new guitar toy; a Dunlop Crybaby wah pedal with power supply and extra cords. I need guitar toys like a need a hole in my head, but they are fun and I enjoy playing around with them. Perhaps some day my ability will come close to catching up to my purchases. Probably not, but you never know. One can dream...

I write this while killing some time waiting for 4pm to roll around so I can get an 8 lb standing rib roast into the oven. Nothing says holiday like a huge hunk of medium rare red meat.

Like Thanksgiving, it is also worth taking a moment to reflect and be appreciative of all that we have. We are more fortunate than most, and I recognize that. Very fortunate indeed.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!