Christmas Memories

Christmas festivities started early in Juniper with Jeff and I opening our gifts early...because we're (er, I'm) impatient like that!

And where there are Christmas cards, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm gonna find one with an owl on it!

So on to present number one, and Jeffrey did a great job of playing dumb all night....considering all he practically asked for was a new TV for his bedroom. I personally think a trip to the eye doc would solve the problem of "I can't read the stupid menu on this tiny tv!!" .....but he seems to think upping the tv size will do the trick... I suppose the question is for how long....hehe! Love you!

So on to the stocking, with the usual nonesense DVDs, etc. But make sure you check the toe, dear..... What are those, bullets? But...for what.....

Between Jeff and the puppies (remember I was hiding pups before Christmas!), it took no time at all for them to tear into that last package then! I think he assumed it was a new shirt (B.O.R.I.N.G.....) because again, Mr. Practical had asked for it. WRONG, Buddy!

That's right, my first gun to you. And it's one of the "B's"....because he says "Babe, you can never go wrong with the three B's." For those of you who are curious, that would be a Browning, Benelli, or Beretta. I need to start saving like NOW. Sheesh.

A happy boy. And this makes me a happy girl. It took him a while to notice his name engraved on the barrel, but when he did, he knew he was something special in my book.

Now, let me say, I was there for all this, though I may not be in any of the pictures. Promise. That's because when I opened my present I became melted, truly, I became one, with my prize! That is to say, precious Jeffrey got me my first "big girl camera", a Nikon, which hasn't left my face since then! And clearly he was feeding Daddy information as well, becasuse on Christmas I received a kickbutt tripod and camera bag to go with it, sneaky boy. So, with that being said, we had to freeze what we were doing, give the ol' Nike a quick charge, and then carry on! Just look at the difference in J in the pic below and and one above from my old camera, man please! (I'm totally in love with this camera.... and the subject of course!) THANK YOU!!!

Next up: Christmas in Oxford.....

After Mama and Jessie's surprise early presents Christmas Eve, we headed off to the Christmas Eve service at our church in Anniston. I love this service, and am humbled to be reminded that over 2000 years ago a tiny baby was so meekly born among donkeys and camels and haybales to save me, from myself.

Once home from church, we threw all patience out the window (thanks to the pups our priorities and focus has now changed) so we decided to open all our presents that night. This also was necessary becuase they were already half opened thanks to Thing 1 and Thing 2 already....

They clearly were a BIG help.....

Someone definitely thought he was in charge of present distribution.

And the other just flat out disappeared into the tree. Seriously, it's like Where's Waldo?

But HOW can you not love that face?

First up Christmas Day was to Montgomery to Mimi and PawPaw's house...and to hope Mimi didn't go to hollerin' when she saw to white furballs in the house! (She cracked a grin really quick, so we knew we were safe!)

And PawPaw and pup #2 hit it off too!

After waaay too much food, all of which is necessary when Mimi cooks, because I will never come close, we open presents and play Dirty Santa. My gift to PawPaw trumped everyone's....nanny nanny boo boo! This was by far his fave, I'm not even joking, and like he said "A little dab'll do ya!"

Normal cousin pic with our precious grandparents.

My beautiful family.

Last stop was my Grandmothers house, who was as beautiful as ever. It warmed my heart to see so many people there to love on her and celebrate Christmas with her. She may have been as dolled up as she always is, but I can only imagine how heavy her heart was, and is, to celebrate her first Christmas without Wes. But she is a strong woman, with all these people around her, loving her every minute to make her even stronger!

So with that, as usual, we ate our weight in her yummy food, and opened our swap gifts!

Because my Aunt Claudia is a rockstar, I of course, got owl jewelry! You know me so well! Love you!

And Joanna can be so stylin' in her cute scarves, but deep down she's a tomboy. So someone knew this hunter would love a Remington dufflebag, ha!

And after their first Christmas, I know a few pups who were quite pooped! How pitiful is this! I think we all were actually, but nothing beats all this family, I cannot ask for much more!