Christmas '09 at The Hansens

Could I get some good $ for the above photo?

Chico and Kitty are not at all happy to spend Christmas Eve alone. But at least they have each other!

After a wonderful dinner in CHEZ HANSEN (I am trying to speak French here), and I am sorry not to have photos of the wonderful atmosphere (my sister Carolyn promised to send them....can I please have them before NEXT Christmas?), and by the way, I was enjoying the dinner with Mario and the Dede clan so much that I FORGOT to take pictures during that part of the evening; can you believe it!!!....Well, we descend to the lower level and begin the entertainment portion of the celebration with the annual singing of JOY TO THE WORLD. (not the traditional one, the one with the fishes in the deep blue sea....) Paige starts us off with JOY....way to go, Paige.

Next we have the children with a "cake walk" type of activity and Hannah gets her prize from Theresa.

Several daddies helping little ones.

Grandma Dotty leads the great-grandchildren

Our next activity....how to describe it....well, several Christmas-related jobs to do. Wrapping presents, coloring and cutting out decorations, putting a tree puzzle together, eating fruitcake, drinking....whoa, what does that have to do with getting ready for Jesus' birthday? O, and there is the singing of Christmas carols. That's what I do.

End of the games. Next, we are getting ready for Santa and Mrs. Claus to arrive. The kids all choose a music maker from my wooden box of instruments. There are plenty of bells, tamborines, and drums for everybody who wants to play along. Even the big kids get into the act. And....

some of the big kids arre not playing jingle bells with their jingle bells.

Santa and Mrs. Claus like the music and have gifts for everyone.

If one doesn't look familiar, that's because she is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs Claus!

Cora, Blake, Carrie, Nolan, Tony, and and Hannah wishing everyone Merry Christmas!

Christmas morn at St. Peter Parish in Quincy with my friend Jan Faler. GO Tell It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

Chico gets a new basketball for Christmas, and Kitty, well he doesn't need much. He spends a lot of his life trying to get away from Chico. But I think Kitty enjoys the attention. And if he wants to, he can hold his own with Chico. He's got some moves. The take-down is the best one, but he can't KEEP Chico down. So he's got to be ready to scram. He kinda looks like a kitty with a hangover here.