Presents

 

This blow up double height comfort coil with internal pump queen size bed was not a Christmas present even though we bought it for Christmas.  It made Laura very happy, at least, when Finn was not jumping on it.  This mattress placed in the basement gave Laura a comfortable place to sleep with Blackie over Christmas break when we had a full house.

On Christmas Day, Emily gave Mike two deep dish pizzas from Giordano's in Chicago.  She, I and Mike ate there when we were in Chicago this last August and she and Mike loved it.  She arranged for a frozen take out order from Giordano's to arrive in time for Christmas.  Mike ate his first one after everyone left and pronounced it just as good as he remembered from his restaurant visit.  

Mike received another Contigo Stainless Steel Autoseal mug for Christmas from Laura.  He loves these cups, uses them constantly for his coffee and spends a lot of his time searching for them as he forgets where he sets them down.  So Laura included in her present a Tile Anything Finder.  When Mike finally puts the app on his phone, he will be able to use the phone to track the location of his tile which will be attached to the cup.  

Both Suzanne (and Heath) and Mike received this pizza stone as a present.  Suzanne made beet pesto, spinach and goat cheese pizza for us with a homemade pizza crust.  It was delicious.  Of course, Mike did not have any so after our guests left, he cooked a frozen pizza on it and said it made for a much more crisp pizza.  Unfortunately now that I read the instructions, the best way to use this pizza stone is with a pizza peel.  (Look it up.). Guess I know what they will be receiving for Christmas next year.

Dana, Emily's former college roommate, was in town for the holidays visiting family and friends and dropped by our house to give Emily her Christmas present.  She says she found this on the sale rack and could not resist it.  These spider man onesies had Emily's name all over them.  

The gift that stands out in my mind came before Christmas.  Amy Flannery, a friend and middle school art teacher back home in the Woodlands Texas, sent us a large envelope.  In it was a color copy of a drawing one of her students made that will be submitted to the school district Western Art Contest later this coming year.  Amy provided her student with the subject matter based on a picture she took of her visit to the pond this past year for the wedding.  I am looking for a frame for it now.  

My chickens were a popular theme for Christmas presents this year.  My friend Mary sent me some Christmas ornaments that were chickens.  They looked great on the tree.  

Looks like it is going to be a fun new year using all our new stuff.