As we all know, this year in Texas, we all got to experience a white Christmas. For many, it was the first in their lifetime. For others, the first that could be remembered for years and years. On Christmas Eve morning, after a breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee, the loading of the Christmas gifts and gear commenced. I mostly packed and wrapped stuff in trash bags, and Kyle did all the loading. This, of course, is when the precipitation first started falling. Let's just say it put Kyle in a festive holiday spirit.
By the time we were on the road to Cleburne, the rain had started freezing, and by the time we arrived at Nanny's, it had turned in to snow. It wasn't long before the view out the back windows started looking like Christmas:
We were able to unload and relax a little before the official start of the ca-razy Christmas 24-hour marathon of festivities, flurries, and fun: Christmas Eve service at Kyle's family's church.
Carols at the Carroll's
Kyle rests by the tree, already surrounded by gifts
A trifle compared to after Santa arrives
The overflow area
Audrey watches as snow falls and sticks for the first time in her lifeOnce the time came, we all got dressed and headed out into the increasingly unpleasant weather to attend the Christmas Eve service wherein Nanny did a beautiful job with the hand bell choir, and we saw lots of family friends.
As tradition dictates, the next move was to Mimmy and Pappy's for their Christmas celebration. The roads were quite slippery by the time we headed out of town, and the 7-minute drive outside the city limits was quite stressful (we didn't worry about it, though, since all the weather people had assured us that none of the frozen precipitation would stick, so we were just imagining things...). We were greeted at the gate with warm hugs, smiles, and the smell of beef stroganoff cooking away.
As tradition dictates, the next move was to Mimmy and Pappy's for their Christmas celebration. The roads were quite slippery by the time we headed out of town, and the 7-minute drive outside the city limits was quite stressful (we didn't worry about it, though, since all the weather people had assured us that none of the frozen precipitation would stick, so we were just imagining things...). We were greeted at the gate with warm hugs, smiles, and the smell of beef stroganoff cooking away.
Audrey inspects the beginning of a new tradition: buying a live tree WITH root ball to be planted after Christmas
Mimmy shares an appetizer with Audrey
A full shot of Audrey's church outfit
Artsy Christmas centerpiece #1
We do stockings first, and Audrey figures out how fun it is to squish Mama's soft oatmeal cookies, so she squishes every one
Audrey helps Dada with his stocking
Audrey seemed to have more fun with the stocking itself than the stuff inside... the soft cookies being the exception
Opening presents
Our makeshift high chair at Mimmy'sAfter dinner and gifts, we had to high-tail it from Mimmy's back to Nanny's. It was way past Audrey's bed time, and the roads were getting worse. As we drove back in to town, we passed 2 wrecks, one of which had CareFlite on the scene. We were relieved to get back into a warm home with hot coffee and more family. We arrived just in time for the ceremonial hanging of the stockings.
Robert, Kim, and the kids go first- each hangs their own stocking, and many photos are taken
The paparazzi
A Kodak momentAlas, on Christmas morning, I discovered that my camera battery was almost dead, and I thus missed the frenetic opening at sunrise. A new approach was taken this year, though: after the Santa gifts were inspected, there was a more controlled distribution and opening of gifts, and we actually got to watch everyone open and enjoy their treasures.
The aftermath
Grammy and Gramps play with Audrey while Mama and Dada load the car
Nanny making lunch in her new Christmas apronBack at home, we unloaded all our Christmas loot, and we moved on to the last phase of our Christmas celebration: Christmas dinner. This year was the second year of a new tradition we've started; after the wrapping paper and tinsel settles on Christmas day, we head home and prepare a Christmas feast, and stretch out the family togetherness one more night. This year, we chose to do a Victorian Christmas theme, complete with goose and plum pudding.
Mimmy and Pappy came up first, and helped with the cooking and preparation. Grammy, Gramps, and Aunt KK joined later, and after gorging once again, we all hung out by the fire, and concluded the holiday with one more family sleepover.
Mimmy and Pappy came up first, and helped with the cooking and preparation. Grammy, Gramps, and Aunt KK joined later, and after gorging once again, we all hung out by the fire, and concluded the holiday with one more family sleepover.
Pajama jammie jam Santa, hanging out
Pappy
Kyle and Katy lounging by the fire
Mimmy reads her new Southern Living cookbook and sips coffee
Our Christmas fire
After-dinner snacks
The trivia game we kinda played
Katy reading the amazing hand-made alphabet book Mimmy made for Audrey
Christmas centerpiece #2
Dessert anyone? How about desserts?
The demise of the Christmas goose: goose stock
Audrey's Christmas treasures (actually about 40% of them)This year's Christmas was an excellent one, filled with friends, family, food, and an amazing sense of peace and contentment. The most surreal part was watching Audrey walk around the tree, name people and objects around her, and dance to Christmas carols. Last year, it was impossible to imagine the squishy blob in red pajamas on her second Christmas. This year, it's even harder to imagine what she'll be doing another year from now, but we are truly looking forward to it. We are so blessed.
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