'Twas the Week Before Christmas....

When all through the house,

Lay the college kids' shoes

And all their other crap.

And I in my pajamas

And Chuck in his sleep attire

Sat out on the back patio

And built us a fire.

Okay, enough with the poetry...

It's been a very relaxing week.  Although I had dreams of sleeping in late, my body wakes up at 7:00 a.m. each day.  And by body, I mean bladder.  Chuck and Cameron have had to work, Will has been busy with his hometown friends, so I have had the house mostly to myself.  Nice and quiet and relaxing. 

Gift wrapping while watching HGTV....second cup of coffee....catching Ellen at noon....no complaints. 

Last night was the first evening with all four of us at home, so I begged asked if we could all meet out by the firepit. I love when they say yes without a fuss.

This is the smile of a college student with only one semester left! 

 And she loves her internship at the job that is

 waiting for her when she graduates. 

This one operates on very little sleep. 

She headed to bed before the rest of us.

Our very own pyrosomewhat maniac. 

He kept the fire going with some dead branches

we had pruned from a tree last weekend.

And then Will, the fire builder, got the hose and put the fire out...and we all went to bed. 

It was a near perfect evening....I missed having Jordan and Chris out there with us.

*******************

Last week, I thought the area around the tree looked a little empty without packages,

so I pulled out a trunk with some old toys.

And then this happened.....

Oliver, sunbathing. I guess the Matchbox cars were a little in his way.

I really hate cats.  But this one is part dog.

 Merry Christmas Eve Eve!