Christmas!

Update:I am cleaning my house and putting my presents away and there are a couple things I regret not mentioning because they are so awesome. My mom got us Christmas ornaments for our tree. One is Big Ben and the other is the Eiffel Tower. And we also got a waffle maker from my stepsister, Sarah, which is totally bitchin' and is what I'll be serving on New Year's morning if people end up crashing here! That is all.

Chris and I spent Christmas Eve and half of Christmas day at his parents' house. Robin, his mom, makes an excellent lamb, and as I learned at breakfast the next morning, a spectacular crustless quiche. It was good food and good times all around. Chris and I came back to Davis with our car well-stocked with presents. I won't go into all of them, but there are a few I simply must brag about.

First, from Chris's parents we got some very cool Beatles memorabilia. Original posters in frames of shows such as The Caver and Candlestick Park. We also got a photo album with professional concert photos that came with a CD of scanned negatives. Very, very cool.

I made out with ladybug stuff, of course. I have a new coffee cup, which I am using right now, thanks to my new family in Winnemucca. Ladybugs swinging on a a swing in a garden. Super cute!

Chris got me two books about Irish lore. One is a collection of Ghost Stories and the other is an encyclopedia of myth. He also got me "The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire. I must say, he knows me well.

Chris's mom made us some wonderful framed cross-stitches to hang in our kitchen near our coffee maker. Both are pictures of espresso drinks, one saying "Latte" and the other saying "Cappuccino." I couldn't resist temptation to tell Robin, "Thanks a latte!" after seeing them.

I got another very awesome present from Robin and Garry. Anyone who knows me would guess that the new AMC show, "The Walking Dead," is my kind of show. So I received for Christmas The Walking Dead Compendium One, a collection of the first 48 issues of the comic series. I read it. All of it. Last night.

At dad's house, we enjoyed more good times with family. My step brother was there and my awesome Uncle Mickey. Both my sisters were also there, which hasn't happened at Dad's house on Christmas in many years. Kathy had the house very festive and a delicious meal of ham, potatoes and other noms ready to be eaten. She also got me a "Better Homes and Gardens" cookbook and one-year subscription to the magazine. I'm so domestic now!

From my dad and Kathy, we got some very awesome things. A blown-glass jelly fish from Monterey that actually glows in the dark (I will post pictures on my facebook). A cute decorative towel from Apple Hill. And my favorite, a digital meat thermometer! I can't stand pulling out chicken and cutting into the middle of it to see if it bleeds. I'm very paranoid about proper food safety handling. Now, I have no more need to worry.

My big sister's big present to us was a shower curtain with a picture of the Cliffs of Moher where Chris proposed to me. Talia had asked Chris to email him a picture that he took because, she claimed, Hollis hadn't seen it yet. That sneaky woman! I love the hell out of her.

My little sister Michelle got us an awesome, romantic dinner in the form of a gift card to any Darden restaurant, one being Red Lobster, which I think we'll hit up. She also got me some awesome 'eau de toilette' from B&BW. Chris likes it, so that's good.

I got other stuff, but I'm not writing to categorize everything. I'm super happy for everything I got. There is, of course, the stuff I didn't blog about last week that I got from my mom and her side of the family (awesome stuff, including snowman poo candy, lol). I just wanted to highlight a couple things from the weekend. Hope everyone had a great holiday.