Christmas Day is over.

The Bumpus hounds (our Jack and Sam. Pres' Dexter) barked before 07early.
As I was letting them in the back door I thought I heard small feet on the stairs.
Nine year old-and-still-believes Spencer was ripping open the Santa gifts... Starwars Lego® parts flew.  Mom pried her eyes open with coffee,  Sdad did the same with Earl Grey.
Park, Pres and Megan sauntered down around 0900 and Heavan (nee Heather and Evan) arrived around 0930.  We waited for Ty by passing around box upon box of snap shots.
A planned "heavy" breakfast was cancelled in favor of cinamon rolls fresh from the oven and mimosas. We laughed and reminisced.  Megan commented on the size of my5sons' heads as babies... she also got to see Sayre's junk.  'Nough said.

Sometime before noon Ty, Jen, and Vera Paisley arrived from Clintonville and we quickly got into the gift doling, since Pres and Megan had to get on the road to Pittsburgh soon.  Practical, homemade and needed things soon covered the oriental rugs. We discussed doing a limited gift exchange next year with more emphasis placed on giving to the truly needy...  we'll see if we can get that off the ground.

With Pres, Megan and Dexter loaded and gone, Colleen and Spencer left for the in-law's.   Heavan had to be home, too.  Meanwhile, I fixed turkey and cheeze sandwiches and leftover vegetable soup.  More snap shots were poured over.   Ty and family bundled up to head to the cabin to help me feed the chickens and walk the creek as Colleen and Spencer returned. Spencer piled in with Ty.  Park and I took my TDi.

The new snow was just gorgeous.  The ten birds were ravenous as usual, to Paisley's delight.  We fed them as Jen made a small, hand-sized snowman for P to carry around.
The walk to the creek made all the camera equipment blaze in Park's hands.  I learned today that he will be home for over a week... I had anticipated his visit to be a typical 4-5 days.  Spencer and I pulled Jen and P around the walking paths in her new sled and back to the cars.  We parted there and returned via the heights of Grandview cemetery as the sun peaked out of the clouds in the Eastern sky.

I pulled the baked ham out of the oven and made broth-boiled potatoes, carrots and celery for dinner. Yum!  The '83 classic Christmas Story made a visual background to our several naps before Colleen, Spencer and Parker each made their way to bed.

Does it get any better than this?
John Prine and Steve Earl have joined me through iTune headphones as I made this entry.