Merry Christmas!

It is Christmas Eve once again.  This whole month has flown by about as quickly as the whole year did.   We had some guests for our annual Christmas eve smörgåsbord.  We added some to the menu this year.  It was a little more work yesterday and today but turned out yummy. 

We had pickled herring, kipper snacks, oysters, lax, sausages, meatballs, spareribs, deli meats, cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes, veggie platter, fresh fruit, pickled cucumber, cheeses, hard bread, rolls (deliciously brought by guests), deviled eggs, glazed carrots, shrimp and chicken canape's. And then the dessert bord: variety of cookies, cardamon bread, Swedish chocolate roll torte and peppermint ice-cream.  Surprisingly my favorite addition was the cabbage rolls.  I've never made them before but have heard my siblings and dad talk about how good they were when my mom made them.  I quite frankly don't remember ever having had one but I thought it would be fun to try them.  

After a successful dinner and quick clean up with everyone pitching in we retired to the living room to read the nativity story followed by the tradition from John's family of the story of Babushka who left a gift for each; pj's for the family and treats for our guests.  Lovely evening.  

It used to be that we could gather the kids around to play games until bedtime but it seems that the kids weren't so interested.  Hannah was tired and went to bed very early.  Jordan wanted to play by his terms which meant calling out the answers from the couch and spoiling it for the rest of us.  Brooke indulged me as did John for a while.  The fatigue eventually got me and when John called for a tickle fight I wasn't really sure if I was laughing or crying.  I slept less than 5 hours last night and when I tried to nap I got 5 phone calls and a couple of text messages in 20 minutes.  I gave up after that.  So now I am really tired.  

The good news is that the girls have requested postponing the opening of gifts until after church tomorrow.  We don't have church until 1:00.  But we want to go see my mom in the morning and they didn't want to have to get up early to fit everything in.  I'm delighted to not have to get up early.  I just hope I can sleep.  

I think everyone is heading to bed now, or at least getting close so Santa can come soon.  I know what he is bringing me and all I can say is that I must have been a VERY good girl this year.  I'm feeling quite spoiled.