Christmas recap

Wow. I almost forgot to share!
Christmas was so lovely.

This is the first year that I didn't trek home for Christmas with the family.

Since Mr. Burns and I went out to San Francisco for Kimberly & Andrew's wedding the week before Christmas, I begged out on hopping in a car and driving across a state and a half. And I'm talking Colorado and Nebraska.... not two of those puny little states out East that only take an hour to cross!

So on Christmas eve Mr. Burns came to my place just as my brother phoned. We listened to his family along with my parents singing Silent Night over the phone! My brother plays guitar - and after the gifts are opened on Christmas eve, everyone sings Christmas songs and carols. I didn't want to miss that so I asked them to call for at least one song. It made me a little teary picking out the voices of my nieces and nephew at certain points in the song.

After that we went to Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica - Officiated by the Bishop. It was beautiful. The choir - magnificent. I was moved to tears.

Then Christmas morning, I got out of my bed and went to Mr. Burns' room to be sure he was up, as he had committed to lector at the 10:00 Mass at his church.

I crawled into his bed while he went to church.

When he got back home, I was still snuggled under the down comforter with crisp winter sunlight streaming in the floor to ceiling to windows. Such a perfect place!

Then he walked in with a big smile on his face, dangling a gift bag on his finger. We had agreed not to exchange gifts, but he's too sweet and generous for that. I feel a little rotten because I stuck to the agreement - but I'm not working right now so I think we both think that's fair.
Inside the bag... a gift card from a brand new spa just across the stree from his condo. He told me that I could just ooze my way back to his place afterward!

The best part - he purchased the river rock massage!

When Kimberly and I went for Mani/pedis on her wedding day - they used warm river stones to massage our legs. It was amazing!!! Who knew that heated stones could feel so - - - GOOD! After we spent 10 minutes talking about it, I asked Mr. Burns if he could believe we could gush over rocks like that! He couldn't.
But how sweet. He listens. And got me the river stone massage! I'm such a lucky girl.

Once I pulled myself out of bed, we spent the day eating Honey Baked Ham and garlic mashed potatoes, watching movies and watching the snow fall.
The snow fell all day long. It was amazing. We got 8 inches in one day!

So my favorite line from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 'Colorado Christmas' is true:
The closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere
Is a quiet Christmas morning
in the Colorado snow