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We got Christmas off to a rough start this year. The day we left for Virginia, we had to put our 10 year old Chihuahua, Maggie, to sleep. She had an eye problem that the vet said was going to kill her within 6 months. We waited a month and the eye just got worse, so we reluctantly went ahead with it. Now, I know some of you are laughing at that last sentence....."reluctantly". It's no secret that she and I had a love/hate relationship, but it was honestly very hard to do this. Just knowing that she was going to be put down was really sad. And saying goodbye to her was awful. We got Maggie for our first Christmas, so all of our newlywed memories include her. That's what made it extra sad. The kids took it really hard and it was just a sad, sad day for our family. It didn't help that it was a rainy, gloomy day and when we left for our trip, we had car trouble that held us back an extra 2 hours!! Let me also add a side note here....I never realized how much Maggie ate. I now need to vacuum our kitchen daily from all the crumbs!
The first morning in Virginia, the girls in the family got together for our annual bake-a-thon. This year it was at Dolly's house and we got busy baking up treats to eat on Christmas Eve night. It's always a fun time laughing, acting crazy, eating and enjoying time together:
This year, the big girl nieces were invited. Maddie, Gracie and Janna. (I guess they're at the age where "big girl" is not appreciated anymore!!).
Denise, you're going to kill me, but this picture cracked me up! I love how you're doing the "ILY" sign with your left hand. LOL!
On the menu was classic iced sugar cookies, peppermint cookies, molasses cookies, heath wedges, corn flake wreaths, oatmeal cookies, rice krispie treat ornament balls, and others I cannot remember. It was a lot of cookies!
Well, look what the cat dragged in. Roy always calls us the hens so we decided that he should be called "Rooster". He's all talk when it comes to his sisters-in-law....he loves all of us and all the noise, laughing, and craziness we bring when we gather together.
Grammy had some help from sweet Janna!
Maddie Girl and Charlotte. I cannot believe how grown up Maddie has become. She's almost 14 and has grown into such a beautiful young lady.
Eleanore was about to get her morning bath, so we decided to let Charlotte join her and make a mini-photo session out of it. Dawn, Dolly, Maddie and I literally were in front of these two babies making faces and squealing trying to get them both to look and smile. They probably thought we were insane, but they sure looked cute!!
On Christmas Eve night we all met at my parent's house for our Christmas time together. Again, more chaos when all 25 of us are in one room!Getting the Santa talk on the steps from Grandaddy:
Grammy, Grandaddy and all 14 of them:
RoyBoy got a Chuggington train set and let's just say that it hit the jackpot. He actually cried when it was time to go to bed because he was worried that Santa would steal it when he came down the chimney.
What do you get two people who have everything?! Dawn got them an XBox for their basement so their house will be reallllly fun for some pre-teens when they visit!
This picture makes me laugh! Poor Michael had a L O N G day going to his great grandparents house for lunch and activities, then he sat through a long church service and then had all the commotion of Christmas with our family. He had no nap and I think it finally got the best of him:)
The next morning we woke up to more presents that Santa had left for our kids. RoyBoy got these Woody Pj's on Christmas morning and quickly shed his Christmas pajamas for them. They crack me up! That's a lego man headlamp on his head that he wears at night to "read" with. Auntie Dawnie is reading them a little book they got in their stockings:
You know the old saying that all babies need at Christmas is paper and boxes? It's so true. I wasn't going to give her a stocking, but I knew the older kids would wonder why she didn't get one, so she received some shoes (that I had already bought waiting for her to grow into!), some wipes, and because I felt bad, a little mommy and baby giraffe set (that she could care less about). She cared more about the green bag it all came in:
I love this picture of Charlotte because this is how she normally is: smiling and so happy to be alive:)
After we returned home to Charlotte and spent a few days in our pajamas and playing with our new toys, we headed up to Boone one night to see Nana and give her our presents. It wasn't long enough!
Grammy, Grandaddy and all 14 of them: RoyBoy got a Chuggington train set and let's just say that it hit the jackpot. He actually cried when it was time to go to bed because he was worried that Santa would steal it when he came down the chimney.
What do you get two people who have everything?! Dawn got them an XBox for their basement so their house will be reallllly fun for some pre-teens when they visit!This picture makes me laugh! Poor Michael had a L O N G day going to his great grandparents house for lunch and activities, then he sat through a long church service and then had all the commotion of Christmas with our family. He had no nap and I think it finally got the best of him:)
The next morning we woke up to more presents that Santa had left for our kids. RoyBoy got these Woody Pj's on Christmas morning and quickly shed his Christmas pajamas for them. They crack me up! That's a lego man headlamp on his head that he wears at night to "read" with. Auntie Dawnie is reading them a little book they got in their stockings: You know the old saying that all babies need at Christmas is paper and boxes? It's so true. I wasn't going to give her a stocking, but I knew the older kids would wonder why she didn't get one, so she received some shoes (that I had already bought waiting for her to grow into!), some wipes, and because I felt bad, a little mommy and baby giraffe set (that she could care less about). She cared more about the green bag it all came in: I love this picture of Charlotte because this is how she normally is: smiling and so happy to be alive:)
After we returned home to Charlotte and spent a few days in our pajamas and playing with our new toys, we headed up to Boone one night to see Nana and give her our presents. It wasn't long enough!
And I have to say that the transition this past week back into reality has been a rough one. The worse part has been getting all of us out the door by 7:40, clothed, fed and ready for our day. Hopefully next week will be better. I am so thankful for a good Christmas break and truly having two weeks where I wasn't totally ready to send my children back to school:)
4 comments:
I'm so glad you're still blogging, and I LOVE to read them. Keep it up, just like you said you would, and one day you'll have all kinds of wonderful books to look at, read, laugh and remember old times.
Christmas, as usual, was hectic and noisy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Just think of what it would be like if everyone just walked downstairs quietly, sat down and waited for their names to be called for a gift. NO WAY!!! The children will all grow up too soon.....look at Maddie and Grayson, for instance. Let the children be children, and let our Christmas's be crazy and noisy and wonderful. ILY
Okay, do you remember how many people wanted to read your blog when you went private? You have one popular blog and even though people don't comment, I know people read it. Not that you care but you're a faithful blogger and I love reading it. You always take such nice pictures with your JF camera. LOVE having you home. Christmas wouldn't be the same without you here. It went by too fast this year but I guess that's what happens with lots of kids. It rushes by. Love you!
I ditto Dolly's words, "Christmas wouldn't be the same without you here!" And it did go by fast.
Laughing at my picture. I was wolfing (is that how you spell what I was doing?) down some of Dolly's b'nannerbread! YUMMY!
Thank you Donna for the wonderful Christmas post - love all of the pictures!! This is a beautiful and treasured scrapbook for you and your family! Thanks for keeping it up!
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