Christmas 2010

We were slightly delayed leaving Houston on Thursday to go to Chicago.  Continental played the role of little tricksters, though, letting us believe we were leaving on time and then having us sit on the plane for nearly an hour before taking off.  =/  We still managed to land on-time since they like to build in that cushion into the schedule.  I had lied to my cousin earlier and said not to worry about us being hungry.  I was glad to see my aunt didn't listen to this nonsense as she had a tray of sandwiches and some soup for us (and perhaps some Christmas cookies).

Friday, Christmas Eve, before we left to hang out with some cousins, we decided to give each our parents a little gift.  Keep in mind that they are both obsessed with Oliver, their English Bulldog.  They love him more than they love us kids.  For my mother, we had a long sleeved tshirt made up that had a picture of Oliver made up to look like an ornament and it said "Deck the Halls with Balls of Ollie".  She loved it!  For our father, we had a tie made up that had little pictures of Oliver wearing a Santa hat all over it.  My dad wore it with  pride that evening - it was so cute!  

Normally we have a big bowling game filled with trash talking, food, and laughs, but Christmas falling on the weekend made for a short trip this year (and next year, too, for that matter).  Instead, we drove out about an hour away to their house for brunch.  We stayed out there for a few hours or so and then headed back to my aunt and uncle's house to help do a bit of chopping, slicing, and dicing in preparation for the Christmas feast the next day.  We also finished wrapping presents for that evening and then got ready to go to my other aunt's house.

Christmas was a little extra special this year because my aunt, uncle, two cousins, and one cousin-in-law from Arizona came out to celebrate with us.  It has been many a year since they have joined us.

We all gathered at my aunt's house.  Food was eaten, champagne was sipped, presents were opened.  Then we went back to our house.  My mother unveiled the "surprise".  She decided to resume last year's pajama party by now making it a tradition for all the ladies to wear matching pajamas, so my mom, two sisters, aunt, two double cousins, and I all wore matching pajamas.  After we all changed into them, we gathered in the family room with a nice warm fire and began exchanging all our gifts.  The Secret Santa this year wasn't so secret.  Next year we will need to have a refresher of the rules apparently!  Brother-in-law Craig picked me and he bought me Season 3 of the HBO Series Big Love, Season 4 of the Showtime Series Dexter, a 15-lb Kettlebell, and a Kettlebell DVD.  From the parentals, I got a new area rug for my family room, a matching entranceway rug, a Texas A&M garden gnome (I named him Augustus), some bathroom accessories I picked out to redecorate my master bathroom, and then the piece de resistance....my mother knew that I wrote in my These are a Few of my Favorite Christmas Things blog about my stocking and how much I miss it being filled, so she broke into my house (with her key) while I was at work on Thursday, stole my stocking, smuggled it in her suitcase, and filled it with these goodies above!  Honestly, this is one of my favorite gifts of all time!  Oh...we also had one more gag gift for our father.  Cathy and Jay came up with the idea of using the picture of him in the golf themed Mickey Mouse ears from our Disney trip and having it made into a t-shirt.  Then, because he kept mispronouncing Komodo (of Komodo dragons fame) and it became such a joke on our trip, they spelled it out phonetically as my dad pronounces it below.  Here is a picture of him holding his gift.

After all presents were opened, we went to bed.  It had been a long day.

Christmas morning, I woke up to the wonderful smells of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, etc....being baked above (I sleep in the basement).  I showered, dressed, and then went upstairs for some breakfast.  Everyone started arriving around 12 noon and it was a day full of food, fun, and family.  We even fit in some game time with Scrabble, Boggle, and a mega Snow Ball Fight (which I did not participate in for lack of proper gear and a stress fractured pelvis)!  After another long day, bed was quite welcomed.

Sunday, I awoke to work issues - two of my dudes backing out of their trips and the need to find replacements.  =/  We all got ready to go to Walker Bros. Pancake House for breakfast.  This is a staple for us every time we go to Chicago.  I had the apple pancake - pure gluttony on my behalf.  I wasn't able to finish it, at least!  =D  We went back to the house for a bit more of the Boggle, and then headed to the airport.  We were slightly delayed, but made up the time in the air.

And voila - another Christmas in the books - a fabulous time with family!