Christmas '09, II: The Meat!

On Christmas Day, the 'rents and I had our second annual Casino Christmas! First, we went to church- where my Mom sang beautifully in the chorus! I hadn't been in this church since I made my Confirmation in it in 1990 so it was weird to be there but the organ player was the same so that made it feel like Catholic home. And I was pretty darn proud of my songbird Mama-

I even whooped! Amen!!

Then we brunched it up and opened presents at home- good stuff got by all! We also got to chat with the rest of the fam in Oregon! I got to be on the phone while the kiddos opened my gifties and that was very nice! Hershey had a good time with the paper and really,

just looked super pretty!

And then off we went to the Turning Stone, for the second year in a row! En route- we got to talk to my Grandfather in Florida and my Goddaughter in Cornwall which was so amazing! (We take that ability for granted so easily...) My Mom and I got some massages at the awesome spa and my Dad hit some golf balls. We all lost money in the casino and posed by the fountain!

It was then that we introduced the new element to our tradition- we ate, not at the buffet, but at the Brazilian Churrascaria. We thought it was a steak house- we were only sort of right! There was a delightful salad bar, great wine, family style sides and MEAT. No really- meat. Gauchos came to the table with 13 different types of meat once we let them know we were ready via the use of rocks. (Green on one side for- "Meat, please." Red on the other for- "Enough. What am I a fucking tiger?") Holy Meat, Santa. It was all delicious and so carnivorous and NOT for the vegetarians among us. 3 fish, one white meat and one other white meat and then all red from there! Most were too red for my Mom. It was delish nonetheless and we were simply

too full to lose another cent!

So, we went home and ate Christmas cookies.

Because you are never too full for Christmas cookies!