Christmas Festivities

Christmas this year wasn't quite the same without the majority of my family around, especially my parents, but I was so grateful to have Nick and Megan, Megan's cute family and Bob's great family here to celebrate with us. Megan and I did our best to replicate my mom's traditional Christmas cookies and I think both of us realized why my mom is usually up until all hours of the night the days preceding Christmas. I'm glad we'll be in Guam for Christmas next year because I don't want to attempt them again. Christmas Eve was spent at our house (my parent's house) with Nick and Megan, Doyle, Grandma Jackie, Dean, Greg and Kim and Bob's parents. Everyone helped with the meal and Nick and Megan were dreams...helping with all the clean up. Doyle's sauce for the ham was the talk of the table. Bob and I enjoyed it for the next week.

Here's the group at the dining room table:

Bob took a video of the group. Not too exciting, but I figured I'd include it for posterity's sake:

A little white elephant gift exchange and chowing down on cookies.

Minnie in her cute little dress her Grandma Mecham sent from Guam. She doesn't look too pleased, but she looked so cute in it.

Nick and Megs...little cuties.

The Clayburn clan.

Greg and Kim (Gabby was with family)

The next morning Bob, Minnie and I spent Christmas morning by ourselves at the house. It was such a fun morning, especially celebrating Minnie's first Christmas. We didn't get her much because we figured this was the only year we didn't have to. Things will change quickly. My family usually comes down the hall Christmas morning in age order while my dad takes a video. I figured we'd stick with tradition so Bob recorded and Minnie and I came down the hall. Once again, not too exciting, but Minnie might be interested in this one day.

My parent's sent Minnie a little toy for Christmas so we opened that first. I wasn't sure what her reaction would be, but she was legitimately excited about it. It was pretty cute. This one's for you Mom and Dad!

After a lovely hour at church (I love Christmas on Sundays) and a brunch with Nick, Megan and Doyle and a conference call  with Sister Mecham and the Mecham clan, we headed to Robert's parent's house to hang with the Collard family. This was the only picture we got from the night...Minnie in Trish's moose hat.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I am realizing more and more that Christmas to me means being with those that I love and celebrating Christ's birth. That's it. Gifts are fun, but being with those that you love is the best.