Merry Christmas to All (Part 1)

It has been a wonderful, fun-filled, whirlwind of a Christmas.  Going into this two week tour around the southeast I thought I would be exhausted by the time we got home.  However, now that I am home I have terrific memories and still have energy for the five hundred loads of laundry I have to do. 

I like for Christmas to be enjoyable.  Too many people are "busy" with Christmas gatherings, shopping, wrapping, and cooking that they miss out on what really matters most.  Thankfully I finished all my shopping and wrapping at a leisurely pace before December began and I got to do my cooking with my favorite little guys - and one big guy. 

Here Danny and Jonah are making strawberry icing.  The little guys are making Corn Pops.  :D  Half of the icing gets eaten before it makes it on the cake - they are masters with icing.  We just can't help ourselves. 

I felt like a grandma.  I made buckeyes, puppy chow, chicken buffalo dip, strawberry cake, and white chocolate peppermint fudge.  Then we loaded it all up and headed to our first destination . . . the Melin family gathering in a beautiful cabin in Banner Elk, NC!

Yes, that picture took forever to take, but we will cherish it forever, right?

I think the highlight of the week was the gift exchange.  It was not exciting because of the gifts - not that they weren't great - but because of the way we exchanged them.  Each year I use a website to randomly assign each sibling/spouse to a Secret Santa.  However, instead of just saying, "Hey, I'm your Secret Santa!" each person had to write a song to the tune of a Christmas carol revealing who would get their present.  I was in stitches!  My song (written by Steven Melin) was the best - even if I am biased.  "Lots of boys, lots of boys, lots and lots of boys" to the tune of Jingle Bells.  I need to get the complete set of lyrics and post them.  It made me smile!

We also spent the week sharing meals and playing the our boys!  I loved having so much time with Danny and my little Dannys.  Here are some cute pics of Jonah, Huck, and Eli having fun, fun, fun!

Eli taming the bear!  Isn't that the cutest grin?  And, yes, the tree there got a gate too . . .

Huck had a "project" with his spoon behind his ear :D

Jonah liked his new winter gear.  Eli liked the boots but got too hot in the whole get-up.  At least his feet will be warm!

However, Jonah was Uncle Ronnie's sidekick all week, especially after Ronnie gave him a Ninja Turtles book.  Jonah had to learn all the turtle names and facts.  He woke up in the mornings wanting the go see Uncle Ronnie.  Too bad Jonah wakes up a little too early for a visit right away.

 

 

Okay, so I could go on and on posting cute pics of my boys, but I will save the rest for posting to Facebook.

Thursday night (right before the first and only snow) Danny and I had to scoot back to Fort Bragg so Danny would perform a wedding.  It was a long trip in some serious fog!  After the wedding bells rang, we left on a very slow trip to Georgia.  I have never experienced holiday traffic because I have always been in walking distance to my family's house.  It is awful, and I feel for anyone who has to do that regularly!  Five miles from my mom's exit and we hit standstill traffic - really?!?!  We made it safe and sound though and our boys were waiting on us. 

Well, that brings me to halfway through the trip.  I will pick up next time with our time with my family.  Now, it is time to go give Danny his presents from me.  We are making Christmas last the rest of the year!