Family Celebrations

Christmas Eve morning we woke to massive snow flakes falling. A white Christmas was not a concern this year!!! It also did not stop us from the beginning of a 2 day celebration of the birth of our Saviour!! The night before, we had made the cookies, Kyle prepared the traditional Dirt Cake, and the Spinach dip was done. Christmas Eve is the easiest holiday for me to host because all the food is brought in by others. PLUS, we do paper plates...nice ones, but still paper.We threw on our fancy duds and soon our extended family started to come.Through the doors came, my parents, my aunt and her adult children, my sister and her children and grandchildren, and my own family, minus Bud, Rachel and the grandbabies, who celebrate Christmas Eve with Rachel's family. Sorry Mom, but I could not resist this picture....Dominic, my sister's grandson looks so darn cute!! Casey, her granddaughter is being SO patient while waiting to open her gifts. Dommy went first....When he opened this present he said with much excitement, "I been wantin this for 20 years!!!"

Charlotte opened her gifts like a little lady...I think she even had her pinkie sticking out!! Grandpa watched her....Zach didn't have to wait too long as we go younger child to oldest child.The adults all do a nice grab bag done White Elephant style. I got wonderful flannel sheets for my bed, and no one took them from me this year....one year I got some and someone (I won't name names, DEBBIE) took them from me, as per the rules of our gift exchange.

My nephew Andrew (who is off his crutches now...remember he fell off a cliff) took Kyle to rent a movie and after everyone left we watched the latest Batman movie. Andrew and Kyle are 2 weeks apart in age and were VERY close growing up. Andrew still enjoys Kyle! It was good that they spent some time together, since Andrew lives far away.

It was a wonderful celebration with lots of laughter and NO drama...everyone played nice, as it should be.

Christmas morning came early, but bright and clear...no snow!! The kids opened their gifts in their jammies and we had a quiet morning playing with new toys. By early afternoon the Grandbabies came!!! I was so thrilled to see them. TJ was so much fun!!! Most of his pictures did not turn out cause he was moving the whole time!! Here he is playing with the remote control fire engine "Old Grandma" got him...that is what he calls my mom. I am "New Grandma" when she is around.Emerson was a living doll!!!!
She smiled ALL day!!

We had a nice Roast Beef dinner in the dining room, just our family, and enjoyed the day together. Bud and Rachel gave us some very generous gifts...Sweetheart was given a gift card to Home Depot....his favorite place in the world, and I received one to my favorite fabric store...our kids know us well!! I was also given the most beautiful Grandma plaque from the kids. I will show a pic next time...I forgot to take one. Anyway, it was a beautiful holiday in our home.

After the kids went home, I spent some time working on a new project...I actually worked on it while they were here too. A Star Sampler...just a rough drawing.Not sure if it will make it to fabric, but that is the plan.

This morning, everyone is still sleeping, and it is quiet. My new RED coffee pot greeted me with fresh made coffee this morning.It is awesome, and I love RED (even my cell phone is red), but STILL....here is one more pic of the most beautiful angel in RED I have ever seen!Praying your Christmas was as blessed as mine!