As if on cue Norman Rita and their children rang the door bell at exactly 11:00. Norman not wanting to be early nor late he waited on the porch until his watch chimed the hour.

Oliver and family met the Dorman family at the door and greeted them warmly with hugs around, but as Rita and Shane were both heavy with child they had to improvise so as not to disturb the babies.

"Grace, Hope, why don't you take Alex and Virginia over and show them the tree," said Shane.

The children darted away as Oliver called to them, "Only one chocolate Santa each for now."

"Okay, daddy," said Grace.

After getting all the gifts and food the Dormans brought in and put in their appropriate places,Rita and Shane sat on the couch catching up , because Shane had already started her maternity leave, so she and Rita had to catch up when they could. Oliver, Norman and Joe sat at the bar, where they had easy access to the hors d'oeuvres.

It wasn't long before the door bell rang again and Oliver went and let their final guest, Ramon in.

"Ovilear, Merry Christmas, " said Ramone. He went to greet everyone before he took a place with the men.

Soon the timer went off and the meal was done and all went to gather the feast and put it all on the beautifully set table.

The grown ups all started to the table and called the children over. That's when they noticed that each had chocolate ear to ear and there were a lot more than four chocolate wrappers on the table next to the tree.

"Grace," said Oliver, " didn't I tell you only one chocolate Santa each?"

"Yes daddy, we only had one chocolate Santa," said Grace.

"Then why are there more wrappers than four, asked Oliver.

" Because we had one Mrs Santa, one Frosty, and one Rudolph too," replied Grace.

Joe laughed saying, " Well, you didn't say a word about the others."

Oliver shook his head and let it drop. " It is Christmas, afterall," he thought. "Okay, everyone under the age of six, come with me. For hand and face washing and whatever else that needs washing." Oliver said out loud.

"Not without pictures first, " said Shane, "We need something to embarrass them with when they are teenagers."

Oliver laughed and took them over by the tree to take the pictures.

" I'll help you get them cleaned up, Oliver," said Norman.

"Thank you, Norman," said Rita.

Oliver and Norman brought the little ones back as clean as you can without a full bath and clothes changing after a chocolate explosion.

The extended family sat for a great family dinner with plenty of laughter and love shared as well and a variety of food. "Joe," said Shane, "Please tell Kathleen thank you and that her dish was absolutely delicious."

"It certainly was," said Joe. "there is none left for left overs. lucky for me she made me a small pan to have at home."

Ramone told of his days as a lion tamer and how he had to fill in for a trapeze artist with a broken leg.

Norman told of the time he stopped in the middle of traffic to save a kitten and give it back to a hysterical little girl being held by her mother on the side of the street.

Not to be out done, Grace told how her mommy slayed the evil Steve troll. An embarrassed Shane gave Joe the evil eye, and Joe just laughed.

Oliver looked down hoping Shane would miss the grin on his face at Shane's embarrassment. He noticed a tug on his sleeve and when he looked over there was Hope smiling up at him.

"Yes, sweetheart what do you need," he asked."

Of course, Hope answered in aN unintelligible string of baby words.

"Okay, Troll slayer interpret that," he challenged his wife.

Shane looked like the cat that ate the Canary and Oliver knew he was about to get paid back for laughing at the Troll story. "She said that she is untidy and has an oder that is against regulations," said Shane holding up her hand to hide her stuck out tongue from the children.

"Game , set, and match, goes to the lovely Shane," said Joe.

Everyone laughed and Shane almost rolled out of her chair seeing the look on her husband's face when he caught a wiff of that non regulation smell.

When Oliver returned with Hope, he handed her to Shane and said "That was just mean. "

Shane grabbed his tie, pulled him down and kissed his cheek and said, " I know."

When everyone was stuffed the group went to the living room where Happy cat and Happy dog were on the tv to entertain the kids while the adults sat and talked.