Guess I wasn't that bad after all.

Cos Santa brought me all kinds of goodies this year. Dickidoo was worried that it would be a meager Christmas for the Oompas, but we don't know how to do 'meager'. He should know this by now.

It started with the arrival of Gabe and Little Ryott. Believe it or not my little Grand Oompa recognized Dickidoo almost immediately while it took him a day to warm up to me. From then on though we were Bread and Butter, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bacon and Eggs, Coffee and Hazelnut Creamer! We were inseparable! I taught him to blow kisses and raspberries. He taught me that one never really gets used to having someone else's (even a grandbaby's) snot wiped all over one's face, and even at 48 years old my heart can still grow to accommodate my growing love for him.

We made our annual trip to the mountains to find a tree. We took Arthur's Pink Haired Girlfriend and her family with us. It was a first for my nephew as well. It's always so fun sharing our traditions with others. I came home one night to find a slightly tipsy Gabe in the crawl space under the stairs sorting through the decorations and ornaments we had accumulated over the years. We spent another hour or so reminiscing over them and Christmases past. I hope one day he will know the pleasure I felt sharing with him when his own boys come to visit him on some future Christmas.

Gabe and Ryott left before Christmas, but it was a wonderful prelude to what would be an amazing Christmas. We did our Christmas shopping in the quaint shops of Manitou Springs rather than fight with the crowds at the Mall and my store. As much fussing and fighting that goes on here, I was amazed at how much thought and consideration went into the gift selections. They cooked, baked, decorated, sang, laughed and reminisced together. I knew it... they really do love each other!

We had a White Christmas this year. It didn't actually snow on Christmas day but we had a good blanket on the ground... The snow, as it turned out, initiated a chain of events which led to an extravagant gift that Dickidoo had no idea he was getting me. I'll save the details for later, but I will give you a hint. I no longer have Big Red, but nor do I have a mini van!

Here's hoping everyone's Christmas was as amazing as mine was!