Pink Christmas

Well this year was a pink Christmas for me. I woke up yesterday morning only to discover that my eyes were glued shut. After a scalding hot shower to pry them open I took a peek in the mirror and was heartbroken at what I saw... Bright, hot, burning, pink eyes. So off to Urgent Care I flew in the hopes that Christmas might be saved. A diagnosis of Pink Eye and a bottle of antibiotic eye drops later I was out the door, in the car and on my way home to get ready for Christmas Eve Mass then dinner at the O'Connell's.


Surprise, surprise, the Hurley's, well I should say the ‘Brian Hurley's’ did not make it to Mass. The ‘Thomas Hurley's’ do not often miss Mass, let alone Christmas Eve Mass, but, well... they're visiting us and we do not often make it to Mass- ever... So we packed up and loaded into two cars and made the trip down to Scottsdale with a plan to maybe make 10pm Mass at the Franciscan Monastery or get up, dressed and make it to morning Mass. For now we were off to have dinner and Christmas Eve with Aunt Dottie, Uncle Chuck, Auntie Whitney and Uncle Rory!! The girls did not know that Uncle Rory had flown in the night before to spend Christmas and New Years with us. When I left them with their father and grandparents the night before to meet Rory and have dinner I did not tell them where I was going or who I was seeing. They were torn when we got to Scottsdale -- Be more excited about Rory's being there or Whitney's being there. In the end it didn't matter, they had the best night!


I suppose that since we've made it tradition the past few years to celebrate Christmas Eve in Scottsdale and then have my family spend Christmas day and dinner here with us, we have also made it tradition that "Santa" is up until all hours - likely half in the bag - putting 'his' toys together. Thank God, or Thank Santa that Grampy Hurley and Uncle Rory were here this year to help. I am thinking that should be part of the tradition too!! After Grampy and Hurl put together the girls' new slide, Hurl took the Pottery Barn craft table and chairs upstairs to assemble. Grampy and Rory then tackled the shopping cart and Cozy Coupe. When Hurl finished upstairs he joined us down here - having a blast and a few more cocktails by the way - and put together the girls' easel. By 2am all of "Santa's" gifts were assembled and under the tree. We brought out all the wrapped packages and placed them under the tree and sat around and patted ourselves on the back for at least another half hour before we realized the kids would be up all too soon!


Christmas morning began with Grace asking "Did he come yet? Did he come??" - and then a barrage of "Oh My God! Oh My God!" - upon seeing all the stuff both up and downstairs. In addition to the slide, craft table, easel, Cozy Coupe and shopping cart, the girls got another "Bruce". For those of you who do not know, Bruce is the giant teddy bear that sits in our living room, Lily now has a bear of her very own, his name is Barry. - And for those of you related to Rory, you know why he named the bear he gave Lily "Barry" - They got a train set and new bath towels - They got a tea set and arts and crafts supplies - Books, toys and Mrs. Potato Head - An entire set of Disney Princess dress up shoes and a tiara - Movies, perfume and a talking Woody doll (from Toy Story). The girls got way more than they can appreciate, but it was so, so, so much fun to watch them open and enjoy their Christmas gifts.


Hurl and I got a new video camera and will do our best to figure out how to get the new videos on the web. Thanks Dad and Penny! Brian got the refrigerator for his bar and grill outside. I got a new chest of drawers for the guest room and a few beautiful new pieces of Polish Pottery -Thanks Mom and Dad Hurley! Brian got a new, fancy coffee pot and down vest (love you baby!) and I got pj's and a Tiffany's bracelet I've been admiring for quite some time - Thank You Baby! You're the best!!


This was a great Christmas and I look forward to the next few days of family without the stress of the Holidays. Uncle Rory will help me weed out the girls toys and donate the ones that are collecting dust or have been outgrown to children who are not a lucky as ours. Cleaning up Christmas always proves a project so I am thankful for all the help to pack up and store away Christmas. Now I very much look forward to the girls getting to show off their running, climbing and sliding skills to someone other than me at a few of the neighborhood and valley playgrounds.


...And I hear him exclaim ere he drove out of sight "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"