10 reasons why this was a wonderful Christmas:

1. Together –  all 13 of us were together all day long and everyone was healthy. That’s the best present Grammy and I could ever receive.  We love having you with us, being together… we’re so lucky.
2. Photo –  the Seven Samurai (you’re one of them!) all cooperated this year and let me take a Christmas photo. I’ve included it below.
3. Cyclone City – that’s the only way to describe what happens after the photo is taken… it’s a tornado of activity as you unwrap presents, shout out, interact with each other and enjoy the magical moments.  We go overboard with the quantity and variety of presents, but it’s always given us joy to give back and make others happy.  We won’t be always be able to do this, especially as we get into our retirement years, but we’ve been fortunate and you have reaped the benefits, bringing Grammy and I great joy.
4. Special presents – Grammy and I got heartwarming presents from you, our incredible grandchildren… the gifts you make for us with your heart, imagination and talent… those always mean the most!  Proudly displayed in my office, they will keep me smiling all year round.
5. Our new house – this was a special Christmas because it was the first one in our new house at 30 Shore Lane in Dover Point.  We love it here and it already feels like home.
6. The weather – it was one of the warmest Christmas days ever in New England, pushing into the mid-60’s.  Boston hit 70 degrees!  We actually opened several of the windows we were so warm.  After the record-breaking snow we got this year, it didn’t bother me seeing the green grass.
7. Seeing you play outside – No coats, boots, jackets, gloves and scarves this year… no bitter cold… so you all hit the driveway and front yard, playing ball, running around, doing cartwheels, going for a walk.  Very rare in the history of Christmas days!
8. Being ourselves – we’re not a formal family, boring intellectuals, stilted or dull.  We’re full of life, spontaneity and everyone has the freedom to be who they are without pretense or judgment.  It’s a house filled with love and laughter.
9. The natural ebb and flow of the day –  there’s an “UP-Even-down” flow to the day. It starts off fast and furious, then slows down a bit after the presents are opened, then picks up for the appetizers and dinner, then gets quiet for a bit, then picks up again for play time, then by the end everyone is dragging, lethargic and slow, ready to go home and hit the sack.  The fact that you guys get up multiple times during the night in anticipation of Christmas, and start off so early in the day, has a lot to do with the pace of the day.  Everyone runs out of gas!
10. Saying bye-bye to 2015 – I always regard Christmas as the last meaningful day of the year, the last hurrah as we move toward a new year.  I count the many blessings we have had over the past 12 months, there were so many.

Merry Christmas!

Would it snow? Be icy? Freezing cold? A traveling nightmare?

Those thoughts ran through my brain as I bought six tickets to a Patriots-Philadelphia Eagles game two months away on December 6.  We didn’t know what to expect.  All I knew is that we’d have a lot of fun.

Boy were we surprised when game week unfolded with mild weather and temps in the 50’s.  December ended up being the warmest in recorded weather history in New England, so we got lucky.

I had asked you – do you want to go to a restaurant at Patriot’s Place or tailgate like we did last year?

Tailgate! was the unanimous supply.  So we got to our favorite parking lot early (fourth car in), set up our stuff including the important “Warm Greeting to All” Pineapple.  Here we are enjoying ourselves for the four hours pre-game:

We played football in the parking lot, enjoyed the sunshine and relaxed. After getting our fill of burgers, hot dogs, chips, salsa, doritos, Moody Beach drinks, devil dogs and who knows what else, we picked up, packed up and proceeded to make our way to the stadium.

This year we got there early enough to beat the rush and throngs going through security.  Once through the gates, I brought you to the Patriots gift shop and let each of you pick two things.  You were already wearing the funny foam hats you picked out in 2014.  We were lucky to see Bob Kraft and Brady make their way out before they hit the field. Very cool.

The last two times I brought you, our tickets were on the sidelines, about even with the 30 yard line.  This year, we had end zone tickets, facing the Lighthouse.  We were underneath one of the two big jumbo trons.  Emma said “I love these seats!” as we settled in and watched the Pats burst onto the field. Always a big thrill.

At this point in the season, the Pats were 10-1 on the season, having lost their first game the week before vs. Denver.  I’d say most people were figuring the Pats would come back strong and handle the Eagles fairly easily.  That’s how it played out early, with the Pats taking a 14-0 lead. But things started falling apart and Philadelphia scored five straight touchdowns. New England came back, taking advantage of an onside kick and a fumble to have a chance to tie the game in the final minute. But then their receivers dropped three passes in a row to turn the ball over on downs.

It was the first game you’ve seen (in person) where the Pats didn’t win.  Oh well.  Despite the loss, there were several records set:  It was the 71st 300-yard game for Brady, third-most all time. With his 30th touchdown pass of the season, Brady has six seasons with 30 or more, joining Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. And Brady became the #3 all time TD passer in NFL history.