My First Gluten Free Christmas Part 2

Welcome back to part 2 of my drama entitled "My First Gluten Free Christmas." Staring Carol Fleisher and family. Okay, Okay, enough with the theatrics-I'm getting back to the story. :)
In part one I told you all the yummy gluten free goodies I made for Christmas. Now I am going to tell you how my Christmas went.
On Christmas Eve, Matt and I went to the annual Christmas Eve service. It was very windy outside with +20 mph wind and very cold!  It was so good to see everyone there and to wish them a Merry Christmas. I especially love the end of the service. We turned off all the lights in the church and began singing Silent Night. First we sang it in English then German and finally in Spanish. I got goose bumps just hearing everyone worship in the different languages. It reminds me that one day we will all be singing and worshiping (every tribe, tongue, and nation) around the His throne!
After that we came home and exchanged gifts since we were headed out of town the next day. It was a very simple, but very appericate gift exchange. I love it when I buy my hubby a present and he has no idea what he's getting. Usually I just buy items off his wish list but ocassionaly I am able to slip one by him!
On Christmas Day, we headed out of town. I was really anxious about this trip. This was the first time we had taken Sophie out of town with us.  For those of you that don't know Sophie is our minature daschund (and our spoiled four legged child). We'll we finally got the car loaded up and hit the road. Sophie hates rididing in the car. She likes to explore and she simply cannot explore while sitting in someone's lap. She likes to let you know that she can't explore too!  Finally, the whinning started to subside as we reached our first destination. On the way to spend Christmas Day with Matt's family, we stopped at our friend Brenda's house.
It was so good to see her. We met her and her family several years ago. Her husband used to work with my husband. They are some of the sweetest, and most compassionate people you have ever met. They are also dog lovers!  Their pomerian, pit bull and lab were all glad to see us as well  and you know that I had to love on all of them. Of course, after Sophie made sure everyone was "ok", she began prancing around like she was the belle of the ball. Soaking up all the attention. It was good to catch up and hang out with everyone.
Well after a little while it was time to get back on our way and before we knew it we were at Matt's aunt and uncle's house. Sophie felt at home at once and began playing with other dogs at the house. Aunt Denise is a wonderful cook. As soon as you open the front door, your nose bombarded with a thousand savory scents. I am very thankful that she has lots of cooking experience and doesn't' mind sharing it with me. I had told her about not being able to eat gluten and she was very accomdating. She encouraged me to bring some gluten free foods to Christmas dinner. She made sure that what she prepared was gluten free-well most of it anyway.  Finally, the rest of Matt's family got there and after a round of photos we ate. People tried my cooking and were very nice. Most of the people there also cooked so I got feed back on what I coked.  I didn't tell them what what I fixed was gluten free I just told them that  I cooked for once!  I wasn't afraid of them know that I couldn't eat gluten. I was more afraid of them not understanding what it was and what it means and that I wouldn't be able to explain it properly. Of course some of things I made didn't turn out quite right but I tried and I learned. Besides what they don't eat I get to take back home with me! :)  I am happy to announce that I didn't eat anything with gluten in it for Christmas dinner! Yeah! :)
Meanwhile outside in the back yard, Sophie is happily playing with the other dogs and trying to figure out how to get out of the fence.

Well that's pretty much what happened for my Christmas. Except I have to tell you what my dear, sweet Sophie did. After dinner Christmas day, Matt and I along with some other members of the family decided  to relax in the hot tub for a little bit. Well, Sophie didn't like this one bit. She started crying inceasently because she could not join us. Next thing I know, I see Sophie up on the side of the hot tub. She had some how mananged to jump up about 4 feet strait off the ground to the top of the hot tub! I couldn't not believe it. I mean I knew she was a good jumper but I didn't realize she could jump like that. After she got up there and saw what the hot tub was she lost interest fast. She absolutely despises water especially if for a split second she thinks she might have to take a bath!

Well that's how my first gluten free Christmas went! I hope your was just was wonderful with many loving memories!