sweet day at home

Well, the Christmas tree is looking sick. The garland and strands of beads are sagging down toward the floor, thanks to Charlotte Claire. There are no ornaments on the bottom third of the tree, they are in pile on the floor underneath, thanks to Charlotte Claire, and other lazy bums who throw things under the tree and knock a few more ornaments down...The boxes of candy are basically empty, just a few maple creams with bites, the chex mix is gone, one piece of pie left, a few cookies in the big huge containers....wrappers on the floor from the yummy stockings. But it isn't over yet, I say. Please, not already. I just love having everybody around. Ben is home from college, and Em has had the last few days off, and Paul (daddy) has had the whole week off work. We still haven't managed a family picture, though. It is a miracle in itself to actually have all eighteen people in the house together, much less an extra to take the picture. I almost thought we had it made a little while ago, but Joe went to play Friday night basketball. Margaret and Kathryn got a karaoke set for Christmas, and are setting it up in the living room. Charlotte Claire has the microphone, and is singing some funny nonsense. Good luck getting it away from her, guys. Camille is not happy right now, so I'll sign off. I have to decide what to do tomorrow-daddy and Joe are going to the House of Guitars, just to look (?)....I have the rest of the kids....what should we do? Museums will be crowded, the zoo too. Chinese restaurant? Recreational eating just seems so wrong, but a table full of kids with hot tea and unlimited sugar packets sure is fun....and the mounds of orange peels....we DO get our money's worth.....