Christmas 2010

We normally wait and open our presents on Christmas morning, but this year we opened them Christmas Eve night when we got home from my moms house. I miss the days when the kids still believed in Santa, and we would stay up late and put together toys and set them out. Santa still comes every year, but only fills the stockings.

All of us Cody opening his gift from Michael

Michael's gift from Courtney - some new Under Armor shorts

Court opening her gift from Caleb

Rod must have been a good boy

It was midnight before I started decorating Courtney and Staci's cake, so I wasn't very creative. Courtney was born on Christmas Day, and Staci (my cousin) was born on Christmas Eve. We all get together on Christmas Day at my grandmother's, so we have a birthday cake for both of them. Christmas Day was also my great-grandmother's birthday.

Michael was the first one (besides me) that was up on Christmas morning. He checked his stocking to see what Santa left him. He got a new tie, a jump drive, a mini mag light and lots of gift cards and candy

Cody checking out the cologne that Santa left him. He got lots of gift cards and candy too

Caleb checking out what he got

And finally the birthday girl wakes up to see what she got - which was lots of gift cards and some earrings, a bracelet and bath and body

Rod had a mini shot gun in with his Santa loot, which is actually a lighter for the grill

And Santa remembered me too. I got some of my favorite Bath & Body

Courtney's car was her birthday present, but she also got a big bag full of Bath & Body products to open up. She loves their stuff almost as much as I do :)

We always go over to my grandmothers house for lunch on Christmas Day. Here is my Uncle David (who LOVES my banana caramel pie), my step dad, Michael, Courtney and Rod. My cousin's husband, Waymen is standing in the background.

The birthday girls with their cake

My cousins Cameron and Tyler

My baby brother - Jeff pooh

Courtney opening her birthday present from my mom - a Coach purse

Courtney and Granny

my mom's cousin Carol

my MawMaw - it was a little sad without my Pawpaw there

Mawmaw opening her gifts

We play the gift exchange game there too. My brother was #1. I think he cheated.

Jeffrey, Michael and Vicki

My step dad opening his gift as my uncle's look on

The battery on my camera died, so I didn't get to take anymore pictures. We had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope that all of you did too! I am almost caught up on my blogs. I will blog Courtney's sweet 16 party and New Years Eve in the next day or two. Happy New Year!!

Christmas Eve at my moms

Every year, we go to my mom's on Christmas Eve. This year I was to take cake balls and vegetable bars. I made more cabals this holiday season than I have any other time. Seems like everywhere we went, that is what was requested. I am cake balled out! :)

I like to decorate my cake balls with different colored candy melts. Since it is Christmas time, I used red and green.

No matter how hard I try, I always end up making a mess.

Cody on the way to my mom's house. Courtney drove us.

Rod eating at the kid table with Seth and Hudson

Seth, Hudson, Michael and Courtney. My sister-in-law and I usually make it a point to take the kids and make some pictures of them together, but it was so busy this year we didn't get a chance to do that. So this is the best we got.

Seth with his super cool aunt :)

Courtney with her super cool aunt :)

A staged photograph of Michael and Courtney pretending to like each other

baby Jackson - he was so cute and loved to give hugs

Natalie, Jackson's big sister, wanting the camera. Natalie has the same birthday as me :)

me and Jackson

Seth opening up the paper jamz we got him Hudson opening his paper jamz. He informed that he really wanted both - the one he got AND the one Seth got...lol

After the kids opened all of their presents, the adults played the Dirty Santa gift exchange game. Courtney (who thinks she is an adult and likes to play) and I both got Brighton earring holders. Rod ended up with Buffalo jerky (NASTY) and Michael got a $25 Wal-Mart gift card. It was a fun night with family, some (the ones who live off) that we only see once a year.

Christmas at the Office

We had our office Christmas party on the Wednesday before Christmas. As we have done the last several years, we had a noon potluck at the office. Everyone brought their favorite finger foods, and this year we had an ornament exchange as well - which made it a little more interesting.

We really don't have a whole lot of extra room in the office, but we somehow manage to turn the conference room into a 'banquet' room for the festivities. We all pitched in and got Lynn a gift card to the Woolie Ewe in Plano, which is where she likes to get her knitting supplies Jackie was #1 in the gift exchange, so she got to go first. And then Jenny stole her ornament. And then Hunter stole from Jenny which then froze it, so Hunter got to keep it. Kim Vicky opening an ornament while her granddaughter Madeline looks on I had several more pictures uploaded, but somehow I just deleted them off. Ugh!! We all had a fun time with the ornament exchange. I ended up getting the oranment I took, which just happens to go perfect on my candy/gingerbread theme tree in my kitchen. There were lots of nice ornaments, and I think everyone liked the ones they ended up with.