Holiday Round Up

The Christmas decorations are put away and order is being restored in our day to day lives, so I guess this is my last Christmas related post of '07 unless someone else sends me some great photos. We had a wonderful holiday season and I am already looking forward to next year's 25 Days of Christmas. There were a lot of things we didn't get to do that I wanted to get done, but we had a great Christmas. I had more fun than I have had in years and even though Ava is still too small to grasp what is happening, just seeing things through her eyes was inspiring. Now to look forward to the new year!

Here's wishing you more happiness,

Than all our words can tell,

not just for New Years Eve,

But for all the year as well.

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
traditional gaelic blessing

Happy New Year Ya'll!

Christmas with the Rogers Family

On the 26th of December, the Rogers family gathers together at Aunt Mary's house to celebrate Christmas. We always have a delicious dinner and play one of the worst games ever invented, Dirty Santa. Now for all my family who doesn't know what Dirty Santa is, it is a game where everyone brings a gift, draws a number, opens a gift or proceeds to steal from others. I had never played Dirty Santa until moving to TN and the people here are Dirty Santa addicts. Seriously. There should be a support group. But I play, but I only play at this particular gathering. I boycott all other gatherings where Dirty Santa or any other rendition of the game is played. Love the holidays. Yes. Love Dirty Santa. No. But I played and Bradley and I got 2 very nice gifts. To explain myself, I don't hate, hate the game itself, I just hate feeling pressured to bring a $10 gift to every party. One year, I was invited to 5 holiday parties where they all wanted a $10 gift. That's $50 for me and $50 for Bradley, and I would just rather go and visit with people then have to waste money. So, now you know and I will get off the Dirty Santa Soapbox... until next year! ;)

Anyway, it was a good time, great food {Thanks Uncle Timmy for the recipe for Spinach Artichoke Dip}, and Ava got some great presents.

Ava thinks the chair lift remote is a telephone.

Ava with Aunt Bethany

The Rogers Family
Uncle Johnny and Aunt Helen, Nana and Pop
Everyone
Dewey (LeaAnna and Josh's dog) in his Christmas finery

Christmas Day with the Freemans

After opening gifts and playing with Santa's gifts in TN, we loaded up and headed for KY to have Christmas with the Freemans. Christmas was harder than usual because my Mammaw had fallen and broken her leg the week before and was in the hospital. In spite of this, everyone showed up to have Christmas dinner at her house and be together for a few hours on the holidays.


We then went to my parents house for Christmas with my Mom, my Dad, my brother, Nick, Trayton, Ava, Bradley, and I. We had to do Trayton's first so he could get back to his Mom, but that he still enjoyed his gifts and we had fun watching him open them. My dad was on-call and got called out for an hour or so, but he made it back and we finished opening presents.



And what Christmas Day is complete without gas station pizza? We enjoyed pizza for supper and them played Mexican Train Dominoes (which was a gift for my dad). Ava was pretty messy throughout the day. Score was as follows: Dog Bowl - 1, Ava - 0 and Diet Coke - 1, Ava - 0. Thank goodness Trayton had a shirt big enough for Ava, but in her striped pajamas, tennis shoes, and band shirt, she looked like an 80's reject! We got home around 1:00 and were tuckered out.

By the way, if you are wondering why there are not more pictures of Ava with people, it's because she's too darn busy to stay still long enough for a picture!



Ava and my cousin, Jeff - She was friends with anyone who would share a drink or food.

Ava with Uncle Earl

Ava with Uncle Nick and Trayton
Nick and Trayton
Aunt Tiffy and Trayton
Trayton
Heading home
Nick

Mom with her 2 peacock ornaments
Ava with Mounty Tyrone
Commandeering the basket
Gramps giving Ava Mounty Tyrone
Gramps with his gift

Ava and Uncle Nick
Ava and Gramps playing


Me with my Freeman Family Cookbook

She found the chocolate
My 80's reject




One more day of Christmas to go. Christmas with the Rogers Family. Maybe I will get it posted tomorrow in time for New Year's!

25 Days of Christmas - Day 25

As I said earlier, this was the first year that Christmas morning was spent somewhere other than my parents house. Santa brought Ava gifts to TN this year and he did a great job! Since she is still too little to know who Santa is and get excited about Christmas, we were able to get up, shower, and do a little getting ready before getting Ava out of bed. *I know that this is a luxury we will not have in future years!* She was excited about her gifts and liked seeing the new things, but this kid got so many gifts that she just got gifted out. She was so tired of opening things by the 26th!



Here is what Santa brought:

• A Rocking Horse that sings



• Little People Nativity Set



• Little People Santa Train Set



• Mega Blocks



• Pajamas



• A Broom and Dustpan (The biggest hit!)



• Princess Book Set
• Santa Claus Baseball Cards
  

In Ava's Stocking:

• Animal Crackers



• Hello Kitty Hair Barrettes



• A Little Mermaid Camera



• Movie - The Prince of Egypt (she loves the singing!)



• 4 books



• Jingle Bells



• See-n-Say Pablo



• Super Secret Super Spy Uniqua (and when she say this, she said, "Tika!" The cutest things ever!)



• A Dino Sandwich Cutter

And here are a couple more from the 24th that were on my other camera. The first two are of Ava and I making our Christmas ornaments.
In our pajamas from the Christmas Fairy.