Holiday Season 2010

Chris and I have a routine.  We visit his family for Thanksgiving and my family for Christmas.  Thanksgiving was always Chris's Dad's favorite holiday, so their family goes all out.  Last year for Thanksgiving, it took Chris and I over 8 hours to make the drive home to Houston from New Orleans, so we decided to fly this year.  The airport was crazy, but we got lucky and were able to get on an earlier flight out there.  After we landed, we checked the information board to see that our original flight was delayed by over 2 hours.  We got lucky with that one!  For our Thanksgiving feast this year, as always, there was more food than you could ever imagine.  I planned to make a 12 layer cake.  One of the layers broke in half, so it was an eleven layer cake.  We all had a great Thanksgiving laughing with/at one another.  On Friday, of course we all went shopping.  That evening, we had a big fish fry and chatted about the crazy shoppers and crazy lines.

When we got back from New Orleans, we switched in to Christmas mode.  We put up the Christmas tree, decorated the house a little bit, and participated in the much-better-than-Black-Friday deals on Cyber Monday.  Seriously... those Cyber Monday deals were awesome.  The best part - not having to go to the stores!!

We also met up with my very best friend and her husband at the Melting Pot for a pre-Christmas / welcome to the Houston area fondue feast of a dinner.  I am so excited that a job transfer brought them to Houston.  AND we took a photography class.  For the past year, we have been using our fancy camera in the auto mode.  Based on the picture below taken in the manual mode of our fancy camera, I'm sure that we have a lot of practicing to do.  We are learning, and it'll be worth the practice when we are able to take amazing pictures one day....

Our Tree 2010

Christmas with my family was especially wonderful this year.  On Christmas Eve, Mom, my cousin, and I watched Alvin and the Chipmunks.  I teared up when they sang The Chipmunk Christmas song, because that song was so special to my Dad and me.  While we were watching the movie and relaxing, Chris was working hard to make gumbo.  Then, we loaded the van with presents and headed to my Grandma and Papaw's house (my Mom's parents).  My brothers, their wives, and their seven children were there.  It was so much fun to watch all of the kids open their presents.  We had a great Christmas Eve.  On Christmas morning, after exchanging gifts with my Mom, we went to my Nanny and Papaw's house (my Mom's Mom's parents).  They always open presents one at a time and ooo and aaahh at everything.  It's funny, because my Nanny gets upset if two people open gifts at the same time - I guess she is worried she might miss out on something.  Then, we went to my Mamaw's house (my Dad's Mom).  My Dad had a BIG family, and they all cram in to a tiny house - kids of all ages, cousins I hardly ever get to see, lots of laughter, and lots of people!  It was a great Christmas.

Me, Nanny (Great-Grandmother), Grandma, and Mom

It is hard to believe that it's almost 2011.  Where does the time go?  It seems like just yesterday when I was in middle school and couldn't wait to be in high school... in high school and couldn't wait to graduate... then in college and couldn't wait to graduate and get a job...  I have a resolution to LIVE IN THE MOMENT and ENJOY NOW INSTEAD OF ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE.  (also to stop drinking "cokes")

Happy New Year!