4 Christmases, and a New Year!

Before I begin the Christmas Countdown...I want to show you my Project 365 day 1 photo! Project 365 is all the buzz in the digi community right now, you take one photo a day, everyday, all year long, and attempt to make a page out of each week's photos. They can be pics of people, things, animals, at a grocery store, at a party...anywhere, everyday things. You can find more info at several blogs: www.weedsandwildflowers.com/blog or http://www.photojojo.com/. I am going to do my best to keep up with this effort as it has the apparent benefit of also improving my photography skills!

My pic for Jan. 1st was taken after our annual "torching" of the Christmas tree today out in the backyard. T wanted me to snap a few shots of himself with Max (our first dog), who is now 12 1/2 years old.

Christmas #1

Our first celebration was on Dec 20th at the lake with T's family. We usually have to crunch this one in w/2 others but this year, it had it's own weekend. It was also right after the kids were out of school so they were rather subdued this year, ha! The lake is always so relaxing, it was a wonderful way to start out our multiple holidays :) The annual gingerbread event ran so smoothly b/c Nana had it all prepared ahead of time this year (Aunt C & I joked that Nana has obviously watched us for the last 5 years and learned from our multiple mistakes!). The boys each received a Practical Joker gift box and Bee was Hannah Montana'd out.

Wow...a gingerbread house that actually stayed together!

I knew N would love this gift...came complete with a whoopie cushion too :)

Christmas #2

Our second celebration was at our house on Christmas morning. After attending the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church then sprinkling some reindeer food on the lawn, we watched The Nativity together before going to bed to wait for Santa. Santa brought J the coveted "Mask" figurines he has been asking for all year. T received a cool 1st ed. Buffalo Bill book and some Wyoming art for his "man cave". I received XM for my car :) and the queen bee Pandora charm!! That was completely unexpected but I love it! We had our big "Food Network" lunch on Christmas Eve w/our friend Mark, complete with an Alton Brown turkey and Giada potatoes.

This was the best turkey T has ever made, compliments of AB!

Makin' the choc. chip cookies for Santa

Christmas #3

Our third celebration was on Christmas night with my family. T is such an understanding hubby. I wanted to be w/my parents on Christmas Day this year so we drove in after our own Christmas. The grandkids were loaded down as usual by Grandma & Grandaddy and us kids didn't do so badly either :) Dad read the Christmas story to us as he has since I was little then we prayed together and proceeded with gift giving. My brother and his family as well as my Aunt S from Minn. were all there. J received a video camera and was busy the rest of the weekend, ha! It was very peaceful and meaningful.

Grandma & Kam listening to Grandaddy read the Christmas story

Yes...he's filming his close-up!

Our rein-dears! KK's favorite gift was her ukelale (spell?)

Christmas #4

Hayes Christmas on Dec. 27! This is the annual Day Celebration of all Hayes cousins, aunts and uncles (my Dad's brothers, sisters and their families). I have enjoyed this since I was old enough to remember being at one. It's been held at mom & dad's home for many years, ends up usually around 60 people and each year there are more and more little ones :) I love visiting with my cousins and it's fun to see the younger generation playing like we used to. Although it's also heartbreaking to see them getting older, arghhh!!!

I love this picture of T & Kat's sweet baby :)

Just a few of my beautiful cousins!

Happy New Year!

As we have for the last 3 years, we welcomed the new year in comfy clothes with our friends Bling, Escilito, Ebird & IndianaD. This year we headed to their home and while the boys did their usual....

This was the first day of our 14th year of marriage!

Ebird joined us as we introduced Bling & Escilito to Phase10...we created a new set of addicts :)

We had a wonderful and relaxing time...and thankfully they have tivo b/c as I went to give J his New Years kiss he said "I didn't get to see it!"..."it" being the ball drop, so we played it again for him. I love that, b/c I am such a New Years Eve girl, I have always loved New Years Eve...the staying up, the game playing, the food, the Waterford ball...one of my biggest hopes in life is to make it to New York for a New Years Eve. I am not married, however, to a New Years Eve lover...but he smiles through it for me :) So it thrilled me a little that my boy wanted to see that ball drop :) I actually have a great pic of Bling but I wasn't sure she'd want me to post it here...salt girl!

And today, we torched the tree, which signifies the start of a new year in our home. So...now you have been caught up on our holidays...how were yours? We hope you enjoyed your family, more than usual, slowed down a bit and savored each moment you had. We also hope that your 2009 is full of ups and downs b/c w/out the downs you might not appreciate the ups...and we hope it is loaded with love, family and friends...but most importantly, God.