Later that day, Richard and Cookie came to visit with their dog Deuce. They were followed by Malu, Philip, Marco and baby Buddy. Hence, we had quite a crowd and a very busy Christmas Day.

Larry

We traditionally exchange Christmas gifts in our family room. Nancy asked for a fire in the fireplace to increase the Christmas atmosphere and provide some additional warmth. It turns out we probably did not need the warmth because the outside temperature was fairly warm and all of the cooking helped keep the house warm. Note photos of Panjee and Tricia on the wall to the right.

Panjee, Devon and Nancy helped pass out presents. There was a real pile of presents this year and we actually found a few more later in the morning which had been missed.
Brooke shows a newly unwrapped toy to Ben who seems to be excited. I think he can ride on this one. Dad Christopher seems to show his approval while little Tricia is on the left.
Kathy, Devon and Joe are next to the fireplace. They had to drive all the way back to their home in Crystal Lake which is a northwest suburb of Chicago. If you look towards the bottom center you can see Ben's head as he walks around the room.
Three girls on a couch . . . Sarah, Nancy and Panjee. Sarah is going to school in DeKalb. She expects to get her degree in another year.
Menchu takes a turn with Baby Ben. Little Ben is not so little any more. He is not only walking but also trying to talk. He also seemed to take quite an interest in some of his new presents.
Richard surveys some of the good food on our kitchen table. Included were ham, lasagna, shrimp, ribs, salads and several other items. Nancy deserve the credit for all of this. She got up early in the morning and was still cooking when the kids arrived. Nancy deserves a lot of credit for turning into a very good cook. I know that Malu helped her with some recipes but other things she figured out for herself.
Tricia shows off some of her new presents from Christopher and Brooke. Included are her new pink dress, her matching furry pink shoes with heels, and a purse filled with hair items such as clips, ties and a hair brush.
Baby in a bag? Little Ben fits nicely into a bag from one of the presents. Daddy Christopher took him out a few seconds later because Ben was obviously unhappy with this situation.