Christmas

We spent Christmas at my parent's home in Mississippi. We went in on Tuesday afternoon and were able to enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant that we still call Oh! Bryans, but has since changed it's name to Gil's Grill or something of the sort. They serve steak and chicken and seafood and have the best ranch dressing on their salad bar. That's why we like to go. For the salad bar. my salad consists of iceberg lettuce, cheese, carrots, croutons and ranch dressing. No redeeming health factors at all! Lawson has iceberg lettuce, eggs, cheese, ham, garbanzo beans and ranch dressing. Again, no redeeming healthiness here! Well, Lawson did get grilled chicken. I got hand dipped chicken fingers. Yum! Now I am hungry!

Mimi and Lawson decorating Lawson's tree. Mom and Dad got this for Lawson last year at an after Christmas sale. The hope was that by having his own tree he would stay away from the main tree. He did a great job leaving the tree and presents alone.

Daddy and Judah watching A Christmas Carol on the laptop.

On Wednesday, I helped Mom make pies. Tons of pies. We made coconut cream pies, banana cream pies, pumpkin pies and apple pies. Mom had also been baking the entire month of December so we had peanut brittle and almond toffee, peanut clusters, cookies, everything you can imagine. They also get Cokes in bottles (and Dr. Peppers for Damaris) and have a ton of those on hand. So the weight gain can begin early. We didn't do much that day other than make pies. Dad cooked two chickens in the rotisserie and my grandparents came over for dinner. Damaris and Ryan came in around 2am.

On Christmas Eve morning, we woke up to a wild wind storm! The wind was blowing so hard. The power went out around 10:00am, right as I was blow drying my hair. We all got ready to do last minute stocking shopping. Ryan, Lawson and Jareal headed to Fulton in a seperate car than me, Mom, Damaris, Lawson and Judah. Dad had left early to go to Tupelo to get a TV for my grandparents. We had to stop at Pizza Hut first for lunch. (Can you tell the Garcia's like to eat!) The Walmart was nuts, so we shopped as quickly as we could. Although there is something neat about being out and about on the day before Christmas. We listened to Christmas carols (and a little dcTalk) and bought Christmas pj pants. As we headed home to get our Christmas Eve dinner ready, the wind was still bolowing incredibly hard. When we got home, we lost power again and it was out for several hours. My parents live in rural Mississippi, so it took a while for the power guys to get to the area where we were. But we were thankful they were out the day before Christmas. For Christmas Eve dinner we had sandwiches with an assortment of deli meats and cheeses, bar-b-que, chips, candies, yummy, yummy food! We all put on our Christmas pj's and Jareal and Lawson opened one gift each. We also opened a game to play. We stayed up much too late on Christmas Eve, which wasn't good, because Lawson and Judah don't know how to sleep in.

Yay! It's Christmas!!!

Lawson wanted to wear Judah's hat.

Matt and Judah

Lawson kept getting into Judah's Christmas present and getting stuck.

Sweet boy!

Sweet, slobbery boy

What you talking 'bout, Willis????

Going, going.....

Gone!

Thumbs up for Christmas!

On Christmas Day, there were a few snow flurries in the air. So technically it was a white Christmas, although nothing stuck around.:) We all got up and sat around the Christmas tree and read the Christmas story. Then all the presents were handed out. Sadly, I got none of Lawson opening his presents and Judah was sleeping during the whole experience. Lawson was a bit overwhelmed at everyone opening gifts and when we would open one of his, he would just want to play with that one and not open anything else. After presents we attacked the stockings which were overflowing! We got some wonderful gifts! Mine were all very domestic. I got a new set of Calphalon pots and pans, an apron and a new dish drainer. I did get some other fun things, but I have enjoyed the pots and pans! Lawson got a new Bible and some money and has since bought a new TV to use when he works out and for Lawson to watch his videos on. Baby Lawson got some wonderful things! He got a chair, movies, a sleeping bag, boots, more movies, clothes and so much more from Mimi and Papi! Grandma and Grandpa also got in on the movies and gave him some VeggieTales movies too. Jareal got Lawson and Judah a VeggieTales movie and umbrella. The umbrella is hidden because Lawson turned it into a weapon. BeeBee and DeeDee got him a Thomas the Train beginners track and a Tonka Truck, both if which he loves. Matt and Amanda got Lawson and Judah books. Judah got a Baby Einstein jumparoo from Mimi and Papi, a ball popper, Sophie the Giraffe teether (Lawson says it needs to have a name change) and a Whoozit toy from us, pj's from Grandma and Grandpa and a book and rattle from BeeBee and DeeDee. And a ton of stuff in his stocking. We were incredibly blessed!

Matt and Amanda

Playing with Matt's present.

Family picture!

Damaris and Ryan

Lawson and BeeBee looking for bugs.

Mimi, Papi, Judah and Lawson (a.k.a. FishFace)

Our first attempt at a timed picture.

Much better, except Lawson and Ryan seem a little tall. They decided to stand on their tiptoes.

Since we did timed jumping pictures with Lawson and Terri last year, we wanted to try again with my family this year. They are always good for a laugh. It's hard to get them right.

For Christmas lunch we had Mexican food. Tamales, chile verde, chile colorado, rice, refried beans, white cheese dip. After all the food we had eaten, every one needed a nap, but I think Damaris and Amanda were the only ones who went to sleep. We played some more games and took pictures and just hung out and enjoyed the day.

Lawson, Judah and Grandma

Judah and Grandma

After Christmas day, Lawson and Judah both got sick. Lawson was running a fever, had a cough and a runny nose. He wasn't sleeping well at all. We went to the nurse practitioner in Red Bay and thankfully Lawson didn't have the flu. Judah never got a fever, but did have a runny nose and cough. We stayed in Mississippi until Tuesday, then loaded up the minivan with a ton of gifts and food and headed back home. It was a wonderful vacation full of fun and food and family.