Merry (late) Christmas

Well, I've been away from blooger-verse for a few days because of Christmas and I've been under the weather. The family and I had a WONDERFUL Christmas. :) I wish I felt like writing about it but instead I'm going to share a few photos. Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon. Until then I'm gonna cuddle up with my new Colts snuggie (thanks to Momma Deb and Danny) and a Sunkist and veg out for a while.

First up is Christmas Eve @ Meme's (My Mom's):

KK and Ryan making piggies in a blanket

The boy's eating (Alan, Tristin and Ryan). I think T was trying to feed his eye.

Meme reading the Christmas story from the Bible

The Boys

The Ladies

Holy Christmas paper batman.... it's THE BAT CAVE!!!!

Next was Christmas Morning at home:

SANTA CAME!!!

Police man stuff

 

My personal favorite.... a trunk with iron man, spider man and wolverine costumes!

Daddy Clause

Yay! Ben10 shirts!

and they match... good luck convincing strangers they aren't twins!

oh yeah. the cowboy is in

Ironman Ryan

Ironman Tristin

Watch out bad guys! Tristin is on duty!

I LOVE my family! <3

That would be wolverine!

Nothing brings brothers together like the batcave!

Finally we were off to Nana and Papa's (Matt's mom and step-dad):

You have no idea how hard it was to get the close enough to take this picture.

ixl! no more asking for a dsi! This thing is AWESOME!

..... the best part? Nana and Papa got one for both boys! yippie!

The theme of the night for the adults was: "You must be cold". lol Matt, Jake, Uncle Rick and I all got NFL snuggies!!! I love mine! It's soooo fuzzy! :)

Brothers:)

 As you can see we had a great Christmas. The best part by far was spending it together! I hope everyone out there in blogger-verse had a wonderful Christmas as well! (Now is it time for spring??? JOKING... well maybe a little bit)

Kristmas Kindness

I really wanted the kids to do something giving for Christmas instead of simply receiving. So this afternoon my mom (Meme), the boys, and I set out to my grandmother, Memaw's, assisted living home with homemade cookies. We played bingo, drink eggnog and passed out the cookies to some of the residents. The boys thought it was pretty fun and let me tell ya, those ladies that showed up to play thought the boys were something else. Ryan approached each one as they were sitting down and said "Merry Christmas, would you like a cookie and some eggnog?" Mostly Tristin ran around and looked cute. Ever once in a while he'd run up to someone, cookie in hand and hollar "here, you want a cookie?!" Too cute! We had lots of fun socializing and playing bingo.

How mischievous is that? Double Dennis The Mennis?

Offering Memaw a Cookie

Yum.

They thought they were slick didn't they? I honestly
lost track of how many cookies they ate. I could regret this...

Ryan playing Bingo

I'm not sure if he's excited because he got one or pray that he'll get one

Patiently waiting for a number to be called

This boy was busy. He helped TWO people cover their boards!

In other news: we baked cookies the first few days of the week. And by "we" I mean me, other than one batch.

Making peanut butter blossoms, my second favorite cookie.

I can assure you we've got more sweets than we know what to do with. And then Memaw gives me carmel apples with dark chocolate chips on them.... This is insanely sinful!

OMG! I'm pretty sure 5lbs is not gonna be all I'm gonna gain instead of loose this season.

Politically Incorrect

Happy Holidays! I hear so much ranting and raving this time of year about the correct way to wish someone a pleasant time during this season. So many people get bent out of shape when someone says "Happy Holiday's". Meanwhile others get upset when someone tells them "Merry Christmas" because they do not believe in Christ. Well, I say to each their own! Darnit! I usually say "Happy Holiday's". It's not in A-N-Y-W-A-Y because I'm afraid I am going to offend someone who does not believe in Christ. I say it because I like having a quick short and sweet way of saying "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year". So if I wish you a happy holiday, I truly hope it doesn't offend you, but if it does, that is your own fault for allowing yourself to be upset about it. That being said, if I was speaking to someone who I knew didn't celebrate Christmas but instead celebrated only Hanukkah, I might be inclined to say "Happy Hanukkah", although I do believe Hanukkah is over now. Really is it wrong of me to change my greeting to be accommodate someone else? I defiantly do not say it to try to be politically correct. I believe it is a nice gesture.

It is necessary to co-exists no matter what your religious beliefs. These days many people who are not Christians celebrate the Santa side of Christmas with a tree and decorations. Did you know that he Christmas tree was used in Pagan celebrations before Christianity decided that Christ's Birthday should be celebrated on December 25th? Yep. The Christmas tree and Santa have a way of bringing together many different "religious" people as well as those who lack a religion all together. Rather than fussing about who celebrates what and how they wish others merriment maybe we can all just come together and celebrate life, love, family, friendships and our own personal beliefs all together. Believe it or not Santa doesn't care what your religious background is. For one day out of the year, everyone can together celebrate good will toward men, family and friends.

Now, I am in no way condoning taking "Christ" out of Christmas... but I also don't want the fight to keep the name intact to take kindness toward our fellow man out of Christmas either. Each of us have a special reason for celebrating Christmas or other winter Holidays this December, for some it is the birth of Jesus Christ, for other's it is simply a time to celebrate Family, Santa, love, joy, kindness ect. Why should we burst other people's bubbles? Happy whatever you celebrate. Let’s all just get along and enjoy the Winter Holidays. We have a Christmas tree and celebrate Christmas, in my house. If you have a Holiday Tree and Celebrate Santa that's fine with me too.

I think I'll step off my  soapbox now.

Merry Christmas, Happy (Belated) Hanukkah, Pleasant Yule, Happy Kwanzaa, Ho! Ho! Ho!, Happy New Year and please forgive me if I left out your holiday greeting.

Quicky

Just a quick note today since I've been a little absent. There's a million and one things going on in this Crazy household so we're gonna keep it short and sweet today.

Ryan and Tristin with their gifts when visiting Santa:

Ho. Ho. Ho. Merry Christmas!

Weekend Wrap up

I had to take a break from my blog and Facebook (GASP!) for a few days because of school. Friday was the "close" of classes and I was lucky enough to find out Thursday and Friday that I had missing assignments that I totally remember turning in. :( Apparently because I was working from my lap top the work doesn't always save. Doesn't make much sense to me but that's what IT says. oh well. Everything is finally turned in except for one test I am waiting for the teacher to reopen. (Shew) This semester is OVER! YAY!!! It has been the most trying thus far. Now I can get back to cleaning the house. I kid you not I haven't done any cleaning (other than necessary dishes and laundry) in the last two weeks in preperation for finals and the end of the semester.
Saturday was a busy day. At 8 am we had breakfast with Santa. Now, Ryan has informed me that because the world is so big Santa cannot be in every place at once so he sends his helpers out to visit kids dressed like him. He was sure he would be eating with one of the Fakes but assured me he would not out him. When we got to breakfast and he saw the jolly man I asked Ryan if he was the real Santa Clause and guess what? He was! Ryan confirmed it so it must be true!

After our breakfast with Santa Ryan went to Karate to test for his orange belt. I sure hope he got it!!! :) I know he can do it! Since Ryan had to be at Karate, Meme went to Lowes and picked up a kit to make his passenger car for the train he started last week...

(yes that is the origional Mario Brother's 3 in the background... Matt found my old NES while digging our Christmas stuff out of my Mom's basement.)

After Karate Ryan, Meme and Uncle Tobey headed off to pick up the newest addition to the family.... Meme's new puppy, Sassy. (Sorry the picture quality is so bad, I forgot my camera and had to use my phone instead)

Cocoa in the back, new little girl Sassy in front

With a kid free evening Mom and Dad decieded to relax. Yes, after two weeks of not cleaning the house really needed my attention but was sooooo ready do nothing!

Although we were totally prepared to watch movies and become couch potatoes we had some very welome surprise visitors! :) A great evening indeed.

So finally this afternoon Matt helped me clean the house, bless his heart! It's almost in presentable order!

Now mother nature is wrapping up the weekend with a winter wonder land. It is beautiful outside. I tried to take a picture but the quality isn't so great since it's dark but the snow falling sure does look pretty cool!

Nothin' for Christmas?

I'm taking a really quick study break to post this at the request of my little star. (I just learned that the majority of my course work for the semester for one class never got saved so I have to redo it all before Monday 8am. UGGGHHH!!!)

I swear! I only showed him a video of this once! I jokingly told him if he didn't be good, this is what he'd be singing for Christmas and well, he's taking it further than I thought he would.
No worries, he's been really good for months now so I do believe he will be getting a little bit more than "nothin" for Christmas. ;)
Doesn't the hot chocolate on his face just make the video all the more realistic?

Add this mischievous grin and he could pass for Dennis the Mennis. ;)
Welp, it's back to study land for me as soon as Daddy gets home to entertain the little booger. Gotta get a lot of work done in a very small span of time but I'm determined! Hopefully I can finish before Ryan's lunch time tomorrow and go have lunch with my boy! Fingers Crossed.