Christmas 2024 - Christmas Day at Last!

Second Post of the Day

Merry Christmas!

Early Christmas morning - Santa's been here. 

Cole and his family and Kyle and his girls were staying with us. Despite it being Christmas morning, they all slept in until 8:00!

First Opening

Uncle Kyle read Luke 2 to everyone (dogs included)

and then stockings were opened.

Next we moved onto gifts. Whitney took photos of her dad opening his gift from her,

and then Melissa did the same when he opened her gift to him!

Emily with Julie and Susan

who got "the one gift I have been dreaming about for weeks and hoped I would get!

A dragon mama with four babies inside her!

We finished up and then cleaned up - although family at the other three locations (Lisa's home, Curt's home, and a VRBO) had also had visits from Santa Claus, there were still more gifts on the way for the family gift exchange.

The Grand Gathering and Opening

Everyone came, including my siblings and their families. 

Only 21 of us made it into the picture - Uncle Cole and Aunt Emily had brought Squishmallows for all the cuzzos.

The dogs enjoyed watching all the commotion, too. (Pepper, Nash, and Tammo.)

My sister Jenny, Sarah, and Vanessa.

Sarah got a very special gift from Jayci and JC. Jayci collected photos Sarah (a wildlife photographer) had taken of 399 (who was killed by a car this fall) and had them made into a blanket as a gift.

Christmas Dinner

Gift opening over (well, at least until we played Dirty Santa),  everyone pitched in for a massive clean up/set up for dinner.

We had two long tables and a card table in the living room,

a younger cuzzos' table squished into the dining room,

and the regular dining room table.

A buffet was set up in the kitchen on the island, counters, and kitchen table and everyone came in one door, served themselves, and then headed out the other door to find a seat at a table. It worked well, but it was a real squeeze going through the dining room. 

Thirty-four people were here for dinner - I think that's the most we've ever had. 

Playing Dirty Santa

Dinner over, there ensued another huge clean-up, and then it was time for the over-18s to play Dirty Santa, something we all look forward to. (The game is explained here.)

The wrapped Dirty Santa gifts were set out on the card table and Jessica handed everyone a random card that would determine the order you got to choose a gift.

Most of the kids watched from the overlook. (Whitney, Cambria, Ian, Mila, Julie, and Titan.) The other kids preferred to play with their new games, Legos, and other gifts.

Craig went first, and he selected what became the most coveted gift of the day - a Red Ryder BB Gun "with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time..."

He didn't have it very long. Along came Curt who, after checking out what was on the table,

stole it from him. (Craig then had to choose another gift. Which also got stolen. All in all, Craig had five gifts stolen from him!)

The Red Ryder BB Gun ended up with Jessica in the end.

Games & Fun

Once Dirty Santa was over, pies were set out and the tables were turned into game tables. For the rest of the day, it was an open kitchen/eat what you want when you want/clean up after yourself when you were done. Very casual, fun, and easy.

We had three game tables going. One in the living room (Todd, JC, Trinity, Jayci, and Lukas accompanied by Henry and Nash),

another at the kitchen table (my nephew Eric, Curt, Trinity, Jessica, Andrew, and Cole),

and a third at the dining room table (Vanessa, Cambria, me, and Ian.) Some football was also on (there are a lot of football fans in this family!) and the kids were playing games upstairs on the overlook, too. Such a fun time, just being together as family.

A Doozy of a Day

It was such a jam packed day, some of us even took a quick nap - amazingly since there was so much happening everywhere.

Frank nodded off while talking to Lisa and Emily.

Trinity cuddled up on the floor with Tammo and zonked out for a while.

I don't have photos (and I wish I did) but my kids completely took over the final clean up for Craig and me at the end of the day. They put furniture back, took trash out, vacuumed, straightened up, sorted things that needed to go home with everyone, and more. Honestly, I was so exhausted at that point, I had been wondering how I would get it all done. 

A midday view from the overlook.

I needn't have worried. Thanks, kids. We could not have done it without you and your spouses.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas 2024 - Christmas Eve

 First Post of the Day

We packed a lot into Christmas Eve Day so this blog post is photo-intensive.

Hanging Out

Jessica, Andrew, and Vanessa chatting by the tree.

Frank and Lisa.

JC, Jayci, and Trinity.

Just as my sewing room was needed to accommodate guests, Vanessa converted her photography studio into an overflow game and eating room.

Cookie Decorating

Aprons I'd made for the grands in the past were pulled out for use.

We started by having the youngest cuzzos decorate a few cookies (Susan, Lukas, and Melissa),

and then added in the next "age level." Kate,

Mila,

and Titan.

Next, it was the quads' turn. Whitney,

Ian, Julie, and Cambria. (With Melissa making an appearance.)

Finally, the adult cousins were invited to decorate if they desired. They were all in! (Trinity and JC by Whitney.)

Trinity's Little Mermaid cookie.

Jayci.

Jessica taking photos with Susan and Lukas.

Emily checking to see who needs what.

Pizza Time!

After a massive clean up from the cookie decorating project, we set out plates and tableware for pizza.

Plus a veggie tray or two.

The under-18s ate in the kitchen and got their pizza first. The couple on the couch is Todd's parents, Pat and Carmen. They came up from Tennessee and joined us for the holiday.

And then the adults trooped into the kitchen and served themselves. (This is VERY much a home movie.)

The Nativity

After pizza came the traditional re-enacting of the Nativity. Only this year, the kids took it over from Vanessa and did all the planning and preparing.

They even made a program and, like Vanessa had always done, included lyrics to the songs we would sing.

A Christmas Queen?? Where does that factor into the Nativity?!

Clearly, those cousins have been watching A Charlie Brown Christmas! (The Christmas Queen was actually the narrator.)

The Christmas Queen part made me smile, but what Titan wrote at the end of the program made me laugh.

I guess he got tired of writing! (And he was right; we did all know the lyrics!)

The adults gathered when the kids called us into the family room. 

The stable was ready. (Turned out that the Baby Jesus/Melissa was already under that furry blanket!)

The under-18s did a fabulous job!

The PJ Elf Arrives!

Suddenly, the doorbell rang - the PJ Elf had come by!

New pjs were left for all the under-18s

and the older cousins, too! (Trinity loves to wrap gifts and will do it for anyone who asks.)

Honestly, someday I'd like the PJ Elf to drop off something for me, too!

Caroling

Our final activity of the night, and one I shared here, was caroling. 

Here's another video of us singing. This time it's Silent Night.

End of the Night Photos

Our kids - Sarah, Jessica, Kyle, Lisa, Curt, and Cole.

Our girls. How awesome to have those dearest to our hearts home for the holidays!