Yes, that’s right, we only had two Christmas celebrations this year – one at home on the 21st and one with the Zoellners on the 25th. We chose not to go to Peter’s mom’s this year because apparently the stomach flu is going around again, and we decided to avoid that this time around (we were all violently ill last year, so much so that we had to stay in Milwaukee an extra day. That was also the cause of Sam throwing up on our dear friends’ carpet (dear friends who we only see about once a year, to boot!). So we are very wary of a repeat this year!)
But we did have our own little family Christmas at home, with the usual secret decorating by Peter all day Saturday and surprising the kids after supper, followed by opening the presents Sunday morning (and actually making it to church relatively on time, too!) For the record, Sam was not as uber-thrilled about the completely amazingly awesome wolf quilt I made him as he obviously should have been, but it’s growing on him. (Which reminds me, I still have to finish making Josiah’s matching one . . . ) 
The tool kit, however, was a unmitigated success (Sam’s been following me all week, asking, “So, Mom, got anything that needs hammering? Any screws loose?” Only the one in my head for buying that tool kit for you!) 
Hannah is thrilled with her new Bible and her remote-controlled tricked out VW Beetle. 
Naomi twisted my arm (ha!) into making Monster Cookies with her and her new cookie scoop and hot pad on Sunday afternoon, 
Elaina walks around shining everyone in the eyes with her flashlight shaped like a lion that roars when you turn it on, 
and Josiah is figuring out his shape-sorting barn (with a little help from Hannah – she’s such a good big sister!) 
And of course all three girls have worn their new PJs and Christmas socks every single day since they got them!
On Christmas Eve we all headed down to my parents’ house, where we had a relaxed evening (I even got to go to the Candlelight service at my sister’s church, where she led the choir and her husband sang a solo, and her son lit the candles on the giant Advent Calendar).
Then it was Christmas Day, day of the the big party. Since I have six brothers and sisters, and all of them come with their spouses and families, it is a pretty big party – so my Mom reserves the cafeteria at her office, and we have the party there. It works out really well. This year they got it remodeled, so we had to figure things out a bit, but it went pretty much without a hitch (my only complaint is that the tile floors are awful when they get even the slightest bit wet – which they definitely were, since it was snowing buckets outside while we were hauling the food in. I slipped, while carrying Josiah (don’t worry, he’s fine, he wasn’t even scared), and banged my knee pretty badly. I think it’s still a little swollen, and lots of pretty colors!)
We decided not to do a gift exchange between the adults this year, and so just Grandma and Grandpa gave gifts to the little ones, but I cheated a little bit and gave all of the wives a copy of the cookbook I made for Jessica’s wedding gift (hey, it was all typed out, why not?), and Kirsten gave me a simply smashing chicken apron (modelled here by Elaina, who wore it for the entire party) and all of my kids got funky animal hats (Elaina’s is supposed to be a butterfly – I think? Some kind of bug, anyway, for my Elainabug) 
But mostly it was the fun get-together-and-gorge-fest that Zoellner family Christmases always are and a good time was had by all, as usual.
Then of course we all headed back to my parents’ for the after-party (which makes me laugh, since we have the party at the cafeteria because there are too many of us to fit in the house, but then we all squish into the house anyway!)
On Friday we went to Hortonville to visit my girlfriends from high school and their kids (Sarah’s dad let us use the gym at the school where he teaches – what a genius idea!) and then chilled out the rest of the day, and then Saturday (which was supposed to be our day to celebrate Christmas with the Westendorfs) we drove home. The whole week was plagued with nasty weather, but we were blessed with a safe drive both ways (as were my siblings from Minnesota – for which we are very grateful!)
And now we have all day Sunday to recombobulate and get back into my nice, comfy groove again (Ok, yeah, I know, it’s really a rut, but I like it . . .)
