Merry Christmas, everyone! We are amazed that we got to sleep until 9:00 with a 5 year old in the house, but it probably had something to do with the fact we didn't get back from dinner until after midnight the night before. Regardless, we get into our p.j.s and join the family downstairs around the tree to begin opening presents. 
Bryce of course has 3 times more than everyone else combined, but that works out well since he is also the elf chosen to select the order in which presents are opened (and he can know recognize his name).
We take a short break in the action to enjoy a nice brunch spread complete with mimosas, and then back to the action. 
By noon we are done, and its time to retire to the pool for a big group swim with all of Bryce's new pool toys (rafts, flippers, beach ball, water cannons, etc.) We finish with a rousing game of marco polo, and then everyone retires to their respective rooms to rest up before dinner preparations begin in earnest.It turns out that the oven in our house is quite small, but the kitchen is equipped with a wood oven as well, so Rich and Dave get a nice fire going in the wood stove to cook the delicious Roast that Jule had picked out for Christmas dinner. Betsy and Carrie also prepare the famous Ward twice-baked potatoes, a cheesy-broccoli casserole, corn, rolls, and Betsy's famous Squash soup (that girl certainly knows her way around soups). Finally, the table is set and we all sit down to a Delicious meal.
After dinner we enjoy a rousing game of pictionary, followed by the long-awaited desert of raspberry and apples pies. After dinner, John and Jule retire while us kids enjoy a rousing game of Presidents (known by some by a much less flattering title), a card game where the order of finish from each round dictates the chain of command of bossing people around (and making fun of them, including the lowest person on the totem pole being forced to wear a silly hat) during the next round. At long last, we have had enough laughs, and we retire with visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in our heads.We hope everyone back home had a Merry Christmas, and we miss everyone terribly! Hopefully we can all be together in 2007!
10 comments:
Hi guys! We've temporarily taken over for Stanton here at your casa. D.O.G. (aka 'Princess?!') spent most of last night curled up with me. I think Cully is totally jealous, but he's not showing it much. He's a cool guy, after all.
Laura and Sebastian say 'hi.' Raja, chewing a bone happily, also says 'hi.'
Hope you guys aren't missing the 4:15 sunsets here in PDX. Thanks for blogging!
~matt
looks like a lot of fun so far guys. the rafting and fishing in particular. happy holidays
brent
Sounds like you guys had a great Christmas together in your humble hacienda ... with a Christmas tree and all! The blog is awesome -- very fun to follow your adventure - very enviable too -- always wanted to visit Argentina. Look forward to more blog and hearing the full story on your return... Happy New Year!
Hey Matt,
Thanks for the news of Princess and the rest of the herd. It´s good to know that Princess is taking her rightful place in the bed. Cully tries to get in there, but it´s really her place to take if she wants it. Sometimes they´ll make a sandwich of us with Cully on Dave´s side and Princess on mine. We miss Raja so much and it´s good to hear that she´s being spoiled with bones. There are, of course, stray dogs everywhere here and there have been several that we would have loved to take home. Remarkably, many of them look pretty healthy. I think that most of the have regular feeders, just no "home".
Thanks for commenting! It´s good to know that people out there are reading this. :)
Cheers,
Carrie
hey guys, wishing you guys were here for the nye pre-party! everyone is thinking of you--we even made a point to get a couple bottle of argentinian wine in your honor.
happy nye,
brent & gretchen
Happy New Year!!! Miss you much,
Q & D
Thanks for the kind thoughts you guys, we missed spending NYE with you all very much. Sorry for being incommunicado, but we've been on the run with no internet access for the last week. We should be updating in the next day or two, so stay tuned...
Hope Your New Year's was fun down there. Brent and Gretchen really raised the bar this year; suffice it to say that 5 food courses is the new standard.
The murder mystery was great fun as well but I failed to heed last year's lesson: Kill early and kill often. As a result, I did not solve the mystery, but no one discovered my true identity (MR. X, criminal mastermind) until I was gratuitously killed with 30 seconds left in the game. The game was more interesting this year, with each character having a special ability or two (discover secrets, pickpocketing, extra self-defense, seduction). Josh Longbottom, now a minister, served as one of my hit-men for the evening, managing to take out secret-agent Siemers before being shanghaid by crooked casino manager Doug. Countess Jane also served me well, but had too much of her time wasted by the casino manager. I wish I had known Kali and Dori had the ability to pickpocket, I would surely have gotten my hands on the nuclear plans.
OK....today is Jan. 3 I keep waiting for updates......I know you have internet because you emailed me......where are the bloggers?!
Betsy
Carrie and Dave!
Happy New Year!
I just read through your entire blog. What an amazing time you are having. Enjoy. Sorry I did not warn you about the lovely Chilean bureaucracy. Make sure you try mate in Argentina, with an Argentine who can show you the ropes. Dan and I are insanely jealous of your adventure!
Much love,
Nan
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