Our true life "Five Christmases"

Kathy, me, and Liz at West 21 end

my bestie and I at her Christmas Party. It was rockin!

me and my hottie husband...he is so over pictures after all the festivities

My mom's house on Christmas eve morning


me and my mom. I love you mommy!

My family. I love you all so much!

Josepha and I at the Disney tree

Me, papa, and Grandma Martha. Dosent he look handsome..we are so blessed to have him with us this Christmas

Santa (Jim and Becky) went a little crazy at Joseph's house

The annual scoul from Santa with his whiskey. I would drink if I had to put up with all of us too!

Christmas eve night at Joseph's house. I love this one.....family, good wine and presents, what more can a girl ask for?

Becky (my mother in law) and Jude ( my nephew) with his new fire truck. He was so embarrased b/c everyone was watching him. He was thinking.."what did I do to deserve all of this?" so sweet!

the best present ever. our little Jude!

Joseph's dad suprised him with his new custom German made "Blaser". Supposively it is really hard to get one. ....he was soooooooooo shocked and excited.
I'm just glad he will stop obsessing over it! ha!

Joseph's grandmother's house on Christmas morning

some of the cousins and aunts and uncles looking at the ancestor book that grandma created for her kids. so special

Joseph spying on his old house he grew up in. so many funny stories were told about this house!

Our new drapes

our new chandelier and pendants

our new pendants


I guess we have a one up on the "Four Christmases" movie...I don't know if that is a good thing or not...but it's our life and we love it! We started out the weekend before Christmas at my step mom's house for her immediate family's Christmas together. Sandy, my step mom, was my dad's wife for 14 years when he passed away 5 years ago. She has never remarried and she and I have remained extremely close. I consider all of my step family my true family. Its really special b/c we choose each other and I feel blessed that they love me even though they do not have to.

That night we went to Jared and Sarah's xmas party. It was a blast, needless to say the gangsta rap came out and the dancing was on! Would you expect anything less when Sarah and I get together?

The next week the festivities began....on Christmas eve we went to my mom's house at brunch time. She had homemade quiche made that was out of this world! I wanted the recipe so badly....I was so happy to see one of my presents was the Cooking Light- best of book, where she got the recipe... with a special note from mom. I will always cherish that book, and I know one day I will cook for my kids out of it and pass it down to them.
Joseph and I got mom her first ipod at age 60....she already has it down pat! so tech savvy momma!

we had to rush off after mom's to my Aunt Jodi and uncle Steve's house (step family)...where the entire extended family gathers, eats and does dirty Santa. We always have a blast, but we couldn't stay long b/c we had to rush back to Fort Smith for Joseph's parents Christmas.. to get there by 7.
This one is a blast. Jospeph's dad is Santa, with the hat and all..and he is always accompanied by his toddy (Gentlemen Jack whiskey). There were tons of presents, b/c Becky always goes a little crazy. Our big present this year was Joseph's gun and our custom made bedding....which I splurged on, but I thought "hey....this is something that we will have for a long time and why not if it is going to be a gift!" The sheets are the most amazing thing I have ever felt! I'm so excited. Thanks Jim and Becky! Joseph sister and her husband were shocked to open an envelope and see that her parents were paying for their planned trip to Barbados in April. That is where Amanda is planning on starting to try for another baby! yeah!

Joseph and I Christmas to each other was our new custom drapes and a new chandelier and pendants in the kitchen. The house is really coming together! Jo surprised me with a kitchen aid mixer which I have been wanting forever. I got him a DVD burner so we can start a fab collection of movies and our fav shows.

I also surprised him with a vintage 40 years of Playboy book that I found last summer at an estate sale. He was so excited...I didn't expect that to be his favorite gift. haha....I told him, as long as he realizes what a cool wife I am!

The next morning we went to Joseph's grandmother's house for lunch and to open presents with the cousins and aunts and uncles. I got another cookbook from grandma Beverly. A southern living book from 1988, she has cooked from it for years and cooked for Joseph's grandpa Jim who passed away. I will cherish this one so much as well!

Looking back at the week, I wouldn't take back one of the Christmases. I love the hectic times and being around so many people we love.

I am sad to see it come and go but I am happy to look forward to the year ahead.

I love my life!

ciao

mo