Hello! Is Christmas over yet? I feel like the groundhog, warily peeking out from my wrapping paper den to see how the rest of the world is going on.

I will most certainly see my shadow, as I am twice as large as I was a few days ago, what with the non-stop eating.

Today we completed Christmas: Part Three. We started the festivities on Christmas Eve morning, with family gifts; the eating started at lunch time and carried on late into the night. Christmas day, Santa left presents, and then we relocated to my in-laws (at 7:45 in the morning) to open MORE presents. And eat. Did I mention the eating?

My parents flew in later in the day, although their luggage took a little side trip to Branson (possibly to see the Osmonds, we’re not sure) and we ate (again) with my in-laws and then Wade and my dad recovered the lost luggage. (When they got to the airport, there were suitcases stacked everywhere, not locked together or secured in any way at all. My dad found their bags and was musing about what to do–walk back up to the ticket counter and talk to someone from the airline? find an airport security guard? look for Santa Claus?–when Wade said, “Get the bags and let’s go.” And so they did.) This morning, we had presents with Nana and Papa, and then we ate some more. Today was a little different, though, because I actually cooked, rather than just availing myself of the fat of the land (or whatever Wade’s mother was serving). I cooked TWICE, in fact. And no one died or contracted a food-borne illness. Score one for me.

And now I’m ready for Christmas to be over. Please.

We had a lovely holiday, but by mid-day yesterday I was starting to lose my grip just a little. Henry and I went to the airport to pick my parents up at 3:00, which was funny because their flight didn’t get in until 4:00 (I read the e-mail from my dad wrong, ha ha, such a riot). When they DID land, my mother called me to say lost our luggage! come get us! and I said, “Okay! At the United baggage claim!” and she said, “No, American,” and I said, “Right! United!”

And she said, “Susan! Have you been drinking?” Oh I wish. But no, I was just really really tired. And perhaps a little high from wrapping paper fumes. Is there such a thing?

I’m still a little sluggish today, which I’m blaming on the Leftover Casserole we had for dinner. I cooked a turkey breast today SPECIFICALLY to make this casserole (layer turkey, peas, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, more gravy; heat at 350 until warm through; eat up!), even though the idea is that you use what was left from the actual turkey meal. Why bother with the turkey dinner when the leftovers are the best part?

See, I really have lost my mind.