The Christmas Run-Down

Our Christmas started last Saturday. Santa comes early to see our family. We like to say it is because we are special....it's really because we travel all through the holidays and don't like to schlep Santa with us.

I got my pink laptop bag....so amazing. I also got tools. Totally a good thing. Probably the first occasion EVER that tools were okay with me. Kirk also got me a couple of CDs I'd been wanting. Put all that with the yummy Lindt chocolates that I'm totally addicted to, and I came out pretty darn good!

The boys gave Kirk and I some pretty amazing gifts. If you missed how we do the Dollar Tree Extravaganza, check here.

Yes, you are seeing right....that is High School Musical lip gloss. I've been forced to smile through countless applications of the nasty stuff. The stuff tastes terrible....it is SO hard to pretend that I like it. The things we mothers do for our kids....

And Kirk's Santa hacky-sack and Rope Knot picture....whoa.

One of Keaton's favorite gifts was his MP3 player....we spent all day buying songs online and downloading CDs....Kirk and I have decided that we have lost our son forever. Although it does totally crack me up how he sings at the top of his lungs and completely off-key, forgetting that no one can hear anything...but him!

Sawyer got his BB gun. Ahhhhh.....country boy bliss. We've been shooting cans and targets ever since. So far, no one has shot their eye out!

One of Tate's favorite gifts was his Indiana Jones whip. I waited too late to get the set that came with the hat, but that wasn't a problem for our Tater. He made fast work of running to his room and getting one of his cowboy hats, a green pistol, and boots. After hurling himself around the house whipping everything in sight, he settled down in front of a Indiana Jones movie......excuse the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle undies, but have you ever seen anything cuter?

We headed to Kirk's parents house on Tuesday. We ate a gigantic meal at his grandmother's on Christmas Eve, and had a fun time opening presents and hanging with the cousins. One of Kirk's cousin's wives had an AWESOME new phone.....I played, petted, and coveted it all day. Want.One.Now.

Christmas Day was an onslaught of Christmas madness all day. The boys woke up SUPER early and opened their presents from their grandparents. Then a couple of hours later, our nieces and nephew came over and we opened presents again. A couple of hours later, Kirk's brother, his wife, and his stepson came over and we opened presents again. A couple of hours later, Kirk's uncle and family came over and we opened presents again....and finally got to eat. A couple of hours later....I took a nap. *smile*

Yes, Kirk is holding a VS box.....this sucker is passed between his brother and him every year. It was Kirk's turn to get it this year. His brother threatened to acutally put underwear in it this year, but opted for tools instead. Too bad.

Look at this crew all squeezed into a not so big house.....good times.

And look....we even had a dog dressed in a Santa suit.....

Friday, we headed for my sister's house for my family Christmas. Kirk ended up with some funky eye thing, so I had to drive THE WHOLE WAY. I fell asleep twice while driving (yikes!). Because I had forgotten to pack Kirk's glasses and because he had the funky eye thing, we had to drive all the way to our house first to pick up the stuff he needed, and then we drove on to my sister's. WE SPENT ALL DAY IN THE CAR....WITH ME DRIVING. Ugh.

We opened presents that night. And made the grandkids suffer through the annual pose-in-front-of-the-tree-and-pretend-like-you're-happy pictures.

We had our huge Christmas meal on Saturday night. Look at this food.....we had an Italian feast.....so much better than more turkey and dressing! I can still feel the ravioli and Cresent Roll Lasagna just sitting in my stomach. Ate.Way.Too.Much.

Here is a picture of my dad sleeping.... He can't stand it that I do this to him, but it is so much a part of our holiday traditions, that it would be close to sinful for me not to include it! *sorry, Dad*

Kirk and I celebrated our 11th anniversary on Saturday, too. We have spent every wedding anniversary with my family for the past 11 years. We probably will spend it with them for the rest of our lives. I bought myself a new pair of shoes to celebrate!

On Sunday we went to church, ate, napped, and went to a movie. Perfect day. We saw Marley &Me. I didn't all out boo hoo, but I did shed a tear or two. That dog totally reminds me of Ozzie.

We came home today. My house is now a mess of Christmas bags full of presents, suitcases, and dirty clothes. I decided to not do ANYTHING this evening, but save all those projects for tomorrow. Tonight we are just lounging around in our jammies, watching the movies the kids got for Christmas, and ignoring the mess.

Our Christmas was great. The presents were nice. The food was yummy. The time spent laughing and talking with family was the best. Remembering Jesus' birthday.....Perfection.