Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël! Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas!!!

It's so strange not being at home, but Peter and his family have been absolutely amazing!!!!

We all woke up at 6:30 and went down to open presents from Santa, then afterwards some of us (aka: everyone over the age of 15) went back to bed for a few hours, while the younger ones stayed up playing with their new gadgets.  We went to 12:30 Mass at the Cathedral, which was absolutely beautiful, and then came back to get ready for Christmas Dinner. Christmas Dinner in Ireland is basically what we have for Thanksgiving, including cranberry sauce =D  It was DELICIOUS!!!!!  Dinner was around four, and afterwards we went over to Seona's brother's house to see their grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins.  Everyone was so sweet.  Seona's brother and his wife gave me cute little Santa ornament and Peter and Seona gave me a bracelet.  =)  I've been so blessed to have such wonderful people to spend Christmas with.  =D  Anyways, we just got home, and it's almost 1am, so I'm going to get to bed, but I thought I'd update, mostly because I haven't in a while.

Things in Ireland are "grand" as they say, and I love it here.  Peter and his family have been so wonderful to me, I really couldn't  imagine nicer people with whom I could spend my "away from home" Christmas.

((Not that I'll be doing this again next year... I really miss everyone in Chicago, and definitely plan to be home for next year's Christmas festivities!!!))


Funny story: This evening after dinner we went to Seona's brother's place, up the road.  After playing pool with the girls, we all sat down and talked and watched Catherine Tate's "Nan's Christmas Carol." At one point, James, Seona's nephew, got up and brought people coffee or tea, depending on what they wanted.  When he asked me what I would like in my coffee, I replied "Bailey's, please" which seemed to surprise everyone in the room.  Alice, Peter and Seona's the oldest girl, was so entertained by the thought of putting Bailey's in coffee that she kept bringing it up, every few minutes or so.  =)


((Upon retrospection, I really hope I didn't offend anyone with that request...I'll have to ask tomorrow...I'll let you know the verdict!))


Ok, it's past my bedtime...


"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!!"