Most of the pictures were taken with a Tokina 11 - 16 F2.8 using my Nikon D7100 and my speedlight SB-910 with diffuser

Our home is your home.

The day started out at 6:45am with me preparing the 18 lb turkey and my smoker for a smoked turkey. This was my first time and thanks to Google, you tube and Martin's Fireplaces (Doug), everyone agreed that the turkey came out just great. I stuffed it with apples.

I have a half ceramic plate I used under the foil which held the water to ensure moisture.

I tried to maintain the core temperature at 235 degrees F. After 4 hours I placed tin foil over the bird.

I was basting it every hour after the 4 hour mark. I do not have a final picture, but when finished, the turkey sat waiting to be cut. We let it sit for 40 mins and then Thomas did the honors of slicing the turkey.

Now on to important events. The time-line for the Turkey does not match the rest of the pictures as it was happening concurrently.

Our gifts this year were numbered 1 to 9 and we still made a few errors. Lets see if we learned from our errors for next year. Only then does it become a lesson learned.

Sharon, Arianna and Jessika

Michelle and David Anthony came by to see Matthew, Thomas and Kathryn. They are brother and sister of long time friends Dianne and Abe.

Jasmine, Jessika and Arianna and Gavin in the background

Left to right is Michelle, Thomas and Kheayali

Kheayali is Face-timing her parents in Qatar and introducing them to everyone.

David Anthony, Thomas and Matthew

Katryna (Kathryn's daughter) and Jasmine

Kheayali and Lisa

David and Kathryn

Michelle and Matthew and the wide angle lens did not do Matthew justice as it was distorted

David and Kathryn's son Jonah

Matthew gave Thomas a "best man's gift" for when he does get married, Matthew has been asked to be his best man.

The many gifts are ready to be distributed.

Sharon, the mother, grandmother, godmother etc acted on behalf of Santa as I took pictures

The kids are always first and the look in the eyes and smile on their lips is what Christmas is all about

The first gift that is normally given is pj's for the kids.

The girls had a llama theme from JUSTICE Store

Their "initial" pillows

Kathryn and her son Jonah

Our supper table

Kheayali with a very quiet Ranger

Supper is over and now for part 2 of the gifts

Joshua is hosting his new soccer ball.

Gavin is showing off his School tee shirt

Sharon loves buying the Christmas dresses for the girls to wear at Great Grandma's Christmas party every year. The theme this year is red and black.

Gavin just got his Smashing Brothers Nintendo game and he seems happy

As he leaps to thank us for the gift

Now he reads every detail..Gavin does like reading

Arianna just got her Dance game and her awe struck manner is an indication that she loves her gift

The leap

Jessika is a LEGO girl and is just so happy with her gift...and wait for it....

Yes, here it is...the LEAP

Joshua just got his Adidas Watch-he is an Adidas (Messi) fan

Thomas now is giving out his gifts

Jonah is minding Ranger

Kathryn is giving out her gifts

And we got our gifts from the children. Let me say, we were floored!

For the three families to get together and give us such a coordinated and memorable gift is so heart warming. We could never have thought of a gift like this nor expected something so touching

Sharon and I have fridge magnets for all the grandchildren...except Jonah...now we have received one.

Kathryn was preoccupied on her phone but Jonah had a place to rest

Jessika loved sitting on Katryna's gift that she got from Thomas

This, I believe, was a gift from Kheayali's parents - obviously coordinate through Kheayali and Thomas as Atul and Sangeeta Mehta are in Qatar. Very thoughtful of them to do something like that-obviously they are as much caring people as Kheayali is a wonderful person.

We next gave some gifts to the adults (I was going to say adult gifts-but that would have been wrongly interpreted I am sure). Here Matthew is getting a great book on LEGO builds

Thomas the new iteration on the Wealthy Barber

Cooking books for the girls...is that being sexist? No, skip that

Next came a Photo Monopoly board (Photo-opoly) where you create your own custom board based on what you want...special occasions, birthdays etc.

We gave Kathryn a batter booster and it does a lot of other things. Only problem it is heavy so Matthew helped bring it over

We gave Matthew and Thomas a Magikbox...which streams TV, movies etc

We now opened gifts from our friends from Watertown. I got Titleist PRO V1s and Sharon a nice glass picture

Annalea sent us gifts which even the postman said that the wrapping was innovative-it was done in the shape of a mailbox

These were great gifts and guess what-I used it right away. One was a phone charger for my IPhone 6. Thank you-could not find mine. The plug was also a dual port so Sharon can charge her tablet as I charged my iPhone. Good idea

Well that is all for now, until we go to my mother's party tomorrow...I need to rest up lol

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