Christmas Eve 2013 started with Mom & I heading grocery shopping around 8 a.m. We then stopped at the storage unit to load up one of the tables we wanted to take to the lake house. Back at the house we loaded up the rest of the stuff for taking to the lake house (mainly my round red). The truck certainly has come in handy for situations like this, especially with the lift gate that actually is a powered lift.
Mom & I then headed to the lake. We gave Mik the option to come then or when Dad came after work. First thing he said was why do I have to go to the lake? Apparently, he thought we did the presents on Christmas, so he did not think he had to be there until Christmas Day. I guess we have not done actual Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve for so many years that he did not realize that our family tradition has always been opening them on Christmas Eve. Once he knew there were presents he was good with going to the lake house, just not any earlier than necessary, so he choose to come with Dad.
Mom & I had to go up by noon, though, as we had scheduled for the internet to be installed. The install guy was actually there at the beginning of the install window. Unfortunately, he quickly discovered the house was too far from the relay point and they have to have a survey team and construction team come out to upgrade to the current requirements, so no internet for at least another couple weeks.
We spent the early afternoon putting away the random stuff we had brought up to the lake house. We also "wrapped" the last of the presents and filled the stockings. We meant to bring the whole wrapping paper container, but ended up forgetting it. We had to get creative with wrapping and used an organizer box, a drawstring bag, and a Santa hat.
By 4 p.m., we expected Dad & Mik to at least be on the way to the lake house and we were totally out of things to do to get ready. Not only did we have the cheese tray and stuffed mushrooms ready, but we even baked the pie that needed hours to cool.
At 4:30 p.m. when we realized they still had not even left Huntsville, Mom & I decided to go for a drive. We called it The Grant Expedition because Mom wanted to see the "town" of Grant. There really is not anything there, but they do in fact have an Ace, which we love because we used to go there all the time for things in Tucson and miss not having one in Huntsville. After also driving out towards Scottsboro, we stopped at the boat house on the way back so I could take a late sunset picture of the lake.
To warm up when we got back I made some Viking Coffee. We could not get the Bailey's open, so I ended up substituting some Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer. We also did not have any sugar or Truvia at the lake house, but we had all the baking decoration stuff and used some green sprinkles instead.
Mik & Dad were still not there, so we started playing Scrabble on the iPad. I was watching out the window for cars coming across the bridge while Mom was taking her turns. The last time she told me it was my turn I said wait I am going to watch this car come across the bridge first. Halfway across the car put its turn signal on and at that point I was pretty sure it was them because there is a decent amount of traffic on the bridge, but very little coming onto our road. It ended up being them and after unloading Billy, Mik, and the stuff they brought up to the lake house we were finally able to celebrate Christmas Eve around 7 p.m. Of course, as usual as getting unload and putting some stuff away, it was Mom that was the most impatient to get to the present opening with Mik a close second.
Mik's first present was a stack of Reese's candy. He quickly held it tight to hide it because he did not want anyone to even know to steal it from him. He then had it hidden hopefully safely in his room, which turned into his lake house candy stash after he got his stocking on Christmas morning.
He was also pretty excited about the Tom Clancy audiobooks Mom & Dad got him. He had been hoping for some iTunes cards to get some, but this was better, although the next day he realized not quite so as some ended up being abridged versions and he sent us a group text to us saying in the future make sure you only get unabridged.
We made Dad open wait until everyone opened all their presents to open his last present because it was the ultimate present, which sort of a present for all of us since we all wanted it. Dad was just the one person that did not know about it. For years Mik has been wanting to get all the JAG seasons and we already own some of them, but until I saw the JAG Complete Collection on Amazon as a lightning deal last week I did not realize they had a collector's set. I quickly texted Mik and asked if we could split the cost to give it to Dad as a gift, since we had not got him anything, yet. Mik said yes and recruited Mom to be in on it.
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