Christmas Eve I woke up a little more sick feeling... I had quite awhile to relax, however, before Mer & I headed down to Hood River to meet up with Dad & Margy. (I read part of Santaland Diaries to Mer on the way down!) They got a motel room for a couple of nights so it'd be easier for us to see them. Since of course there isn't a Christmas tree in the room, they fashioned a "tree" out of a lamp with gift wrap around it. We had a nice little gift exchange and Dad really really liked the clothes we picked out for him, so we were happy! The 70 channels is too much of a temptation for Dad, however, so we watched some of a Bruce Lee documentary and part of some black and white movie. We almost went for a drive to see Christmas lights, but Mer was just not up to the task of driving anywhere new at night!

On to the next Christmas festivity, we drove to Tim's mother's. We beat Mum & Tim down, so we socialized with Scott, Linda, and Arlene for awhile. And of course the orange cat Morris, who is not allowed inside due to his excessive shedding habits. We had a nice dinner, the usual homemade chili, and Arlene's dining room looked like something out of a Martha Stewart Living magazine spread. Tree with gifts, table perfectly set... Robin & Maribeth arrived with the baby (Makenzie, now two years old and cheerful and cute and talking!!) and we gradually started the gift unwrapping. Makenzie definitely stole the show, she got super excited over everything given to her. She received not one, not two, but three stuffed dogs! She kept playfully attacking us with the dogs throughout the evening, and looking into the birdhouses that Mum made for everyone, trying to find the birds!

Last night Mer ended up sleeping in my room, and I listened to a little of the Nutcracker music before bed. Tub woke me up at like 7 am by being cute -- she laid down across my arm so I could hug her and pet her, although I did eventually fall back asleep. Unlike when we were, oh, say, five years old, we started the gifts at 11 in the morning! Mum pretty much picked out the perfect things I needed/wanted, and we're going shopping for anything else that requires our selection within the next couple of days in Portland. I think everything I picked out was well received, yay =) Mer loves the green zip up sweater, and Mum actually wore her red hat around for awhile! Mer did, indeed, pick out the things I pointed her towards, and some cool things she found all by herself! And she actually like the necklace I made her! yay, Res Life actually taught me something useful!

Well, now I think it's time for breakfast and relaxing, my throat's a little more sore than normal today, what is wrong with my immune system!!??