Christmas Recap

It was kind of a low key Christmas for us.  The weather was the biggest difference.  Last year we had a white Christmas, this year it was shorts and flip flops.  Got to love Alabama Decembers!

Jody's parents and grandmother came over Christmas Eve morning for a little breakfast and present swapping...







Then we kicked it in high gear to get ready for Christmas Eve church and dinner.  Mary Reese helped me get the tables set...



She did the gumdrop trees and made the napkin rings with some help from her younger brother.



We got the standing rib roast ready to pop in the oven...



I have used Emeril's recipe every year...and it turns out perfect every time!

We got some cookies baked for Santa...



Last week I made some sugar cookies for birthday favors.  I had some left over dough so I formed it into a log, rolled it in some sprinkles and stuck it in the freezer.  I was real thankful that all I had to do was slice and bake on Christmas Eve!

We popped the rib roast in the oven and headed to church.  It was a wonderful service and my most favorite of the year.  It was good to see some many friends and their families.  You could just feel the excitement in the air!  I love the candle lit singing of Silent Night that ends the service.  Mary Reese was a little nervous about the whole candle thing.  She was very nervous about getting burned.  But I truly loved standing between Banks and Mary Reese listening them to sing Silent Night...it was a priceless moment.

The house smelled delicious when we walked in the door.  We were all starving and ready to dig in!  We had standing rib roast, twice baked potatoes, twice baked sweet potatoes, corn pudding, green beans and a table full of desserts...



A cookie cake, caramel cake and a drunken pecan pie.  [Nanny Nan told the kids they could get a cookie cake if they agreed on the design.  They picked an Alabama Christmas Tree in honor of the upcoming National Championship game.  Let's hope it brings the tide some luck!  I was just glad to see all that white icing because it is my favorite!]

It was getting late.  So we said our good byes to Dasher Minty...



...and can't wait for his return next year.  Mary Reese put out some cookies, milk and carrots just in case we had a visitor in the night.  Then around 9:00 we heard sleigh bells outside our den window.  The kids bolted to get their pajamas on, teeth brushed and in the bed.  I have never seen them run so fast!  They quickly snugged in their beds with visions of Santa visiting... 



...and luckily he came to our house with presents in tow...



I woke up at 2:00 am to find Banks in bed between Jody and me.  He was so excited he just couldn't take it anymore!  He said Santa had stopped by with a bike and some other prizes [which he couldn't see because everything is WRAPPED].  Owen woke up for some strange reason around 4:00 am.  I got him back to sleep.  He stirred again around 6:30 am.  We went to check out the Christmas tree and found a farwell note from Dasher Minty...



Banks was back up at 7:00 with the same level of excitement [I remember having the exact same feelings].  Mary Reese finally awoke at 7:30 and they quickly dug in...



There was wrapping paper flying left and right...



...followed by squeels of pure delight!  I makes it all worth while.

Banks got a new bike [He finally decided he wanted to learn how to ride this summer and the last bike he got was when he was three.], a camo papason lounger [which I can not get him out of], new Wii games, a new Wii remote and some new t-shirts...



He is a huge fan of Swamp People so I guess Santa thought he might need a shirt.  He was really hoping for a gun for deer hunting.  I told him Santa didn't bring guns.  He reminded me that he brought Ralphie one in A Christmas Story.  My response:  "Yeah and he shot his eye out.  That was the last gun Santa ever delivered in his sleigh!"

Mary Reese really wanted a Kindle...



...and Santa delivered completely loaded with some Junie B Jones and Judy Moody books.  Her other request was a new purse...



She got lots of American Girl stuff...arts and crafts kits, a mini Kit doll, a sleeping bag for her and Kate and a dog for Kate.  She got some new clothes and Wii games.

Owen tore into his stack like a pro...



His big wish was Monster Trucks...



...and Monster Trucks he got!  His other request was a dishwasher but that didn't make Santa's sleigh!  He also got a remote control one just like Banks.

Santa thought he needed a Mystery Machine...



...and Scooby and the Gang...



...since he is obsessed with watching Scooby Doo!

The aftermath...



The magnetic Scrabble board was definitely a hit with the entire family...



Banks and Mary Reese saw the words JINGLE and BELL on the Scrabble board.  They took that as a clue that there may be some sleigh bells in the yard.  They ran outside in search of some...



...and guess what we found?



Three red sleigh bells!  We could hardly believe we got them!

The kids played with their news toys while I whipped up a little breakfast...Sausage Stuffed French Bread, Christmas Morning Sticky Buns and Cheese Grits Souffle.

We spend the rest of the morning being lazy, taking a few laps around the block...



...and playing a few hundred games of Uno...



...with our new deck of cards!  Thanks Santa!

Later that afternoon our families came back for a low key dinner.  Uncle Topher smoked a beef tenderlion.  We had gumbo and roasted tomato soup.  And lefovers from Christmas Eve dinner.  It was another wonderful Christmas for our little family!