Christmas 2011

Christmas is always filled with family, friends, gifts, food and, if we're lucky, lots of love and laughter. This Christmas for me was filled with all of the above. I feel so very lucky to have great family and friends to share the holiday. Cameron and I have been so blessed to live the life that we do and have as much love around us as we do. Christmas is about coming together and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I hope that each year we can all remember what Christmas is about as we enjoy the festivities that come along with the holiday. So many people forget the true meaning and get lost in gift, gifts, gifts. I hope that I can show our children that, though it is wonderful to be given gifts, Christmas is about so much more than that. My favorite part of it all is spending time with my family. There are so many that I do not get to see often enough throughout the year. I love to visit, catch up, laugh and eat lots of yummy food!!!! We always eat so well during the holidays....... I think we should get together in the middle of the year and enjoy this kind of food instead of just at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just an idea! ;-) 

This year we had many stops to make in just two days. Cameron and I decided to open our gift to each other on Friday. Cameron is always too good to me and gets me great gifts. He actually gave me a few of my gifts early because he couldn't wait and so I go more than what I actually opened. I hope that he was happy with everything he got from me. Our greatest gift has not yet arrived. I suppose Annabelle will be more of an anniversary gift rather than a Christmas gift. :-)

On Christmas Eve we visited Donald and Betty's house for lunch and a little game of Dirty Santa. Hank stole Cameron's nifty gift and that Kasi stole mine! LOL! All in good fun!

If only you could have seen Kasi's chicken dance that made us laugh!!!!

Don't they look so sweet.......

Then we made our way to my mother's house where the entire family (minus a few) was in attendance. Our family is big! Like over thirty bodies in one house. I love it! We had a special visitor this year. Santa! Almost everyone got a pic with Santa. The men where not so interested. Go figure. I love that my mother looks as giddy as a kid and my grandmother looks like she could be Mrs. Claus.

Me and my sister, Christy. We look nothing alike!

Later that night we hustled to Larry and Joyce's house. Of course, there was more yummy food and another game of Dirty Santa. We always get Santa sacks at Joyce's house. To my surprise Annabelle got her very own Santa sack this year. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the great gifts in both bags!!! Sadly, we did not get any great pictures, but Cameron managed to snap a few before we left.

On Christmas Day, Cameron and I headed to Jerry and Rhonda's for brunch. Rhonda always does such a fabulous job cooking for us on Christmas morning. This year Cameron requested tomato gravy and biscuits with country ham. Rhonda also made grits that were very good! The best grits I have had in a while anyway. After stuffing ourselves we opened gifts. I hope everyone liked their gifts from us. Cameron and I really appreciate our gifts. Annabelle even racked up and she's still baking! Henry was so adorable. He was napping while we opened gifts and then he came downstairs to join us. Rhonda got Henry a block set for Christmas. As he was playing with the blocks he turned around and gave one to Cameron. Cameron told him thank you and apparently Henry liked that response. Henry kept giving one block at a time to Cameron and smiling every time he said thank you. Too darn cute! Henry is such a good baby. I hope Annabelle is as sweet and cute!

After gifts and visiting for a while we headed to Calvin and Ann's house where we found Santa's abundance of gifts left for Zach, Tyler and Alex. It is always fun to see the boys excitement as they open their gifts. My mother got Zach and Alex drum sets and Tyler a guitar. Just imagine the joyful music coming from the living room after my dad put it all together! LOL!

Needless to say, we had a wonderful, blessed Christmas! I am looking forward to the New Year and everything it has to offer. One last event of 2011 was Rhonda's birthday. We cooked dinner at our house to celebrate. Cameron and I even baked the cake. Yes, we did it together. If only Joyce had not hidden behind me this would have been a great picture!

Now we look forward to 2012 and the new addition to the family. I am so excited to share my life with this little girl. I know she will be loved more than life and I pray that Cameron and I are the parents she deserves. I am anxious to meet her and watch her grow throughout this next year. Until next time.....XOXO