CHRISTMAS 2013

Well, now that the entire world has moved on from 

 the holidays, I guess I should post my Christmas pictures.
Hey, I am doing good,

at least it is still January!  

We had a great Christmas here at our house. 

It was different, but it was still a great time. 

Because #2 is a flight attendant, and a new one at that, her holidays were spent working

(or at least being on call). 

She had to be in DC on Christmas Eve and Christmas. 

That meant it was the first time ever that we were not together.

#2 did have Saturday and Sunday before Christmas off and so that was when we celebrated it.  

I thought it was going to be a little sad or not even feel like we had a Christmas,

 but actually it was great. 

Our family had a relaxing (mock) Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together just the five of us. 

Everyone agreed, it was one of our best Christmases because we got to stay home together for two days and stayed in pajamas most of the time!

So, here come the pictures of the entire holiday season….

Art wanted us (his family) to decorate his office building and so we spent an entire day there

one weekend getting it ready for the next Monday morning.  

Lots of hard work!

I love when our house is all dressed up!

Bubbles loves that there are a lot of boxes and containers around…

Barrett was exempt from exams and got a full three weeks break!

Her first day off, we jumped on a plane and headed to DC to see #2. 

(gotta love the airline employee  benefits)

It was a cold and windy day in DC

 but we still loved walking around and looking at all of the Christmas decorations.  

Once we got back home, Barrett worked on the gingerbread house ….

Brittany had a cookie exchange at our house.

The girls did a great job baking cookies, but I loved the North Carolina cookie the most. 

So cute!

A few days later, Barrett had her friends over for a cookie exchange. 

She baked these beautiful cookies….

Lola was right in the middle of it all and  wore her new Christmas bow!

A few days later, Barrett baked home made cinnamon rolls

for Art to take to his office for the company's Christmas breakfast. 

They were a hit!

There was a lot of baking happening in our kitchen!

The weekend before Christmas, Lola kept a look out for Brooke.

We were all so glad that she was coming home. 

We really miss not having her around.

Saturday was our Christmas Eve.

We did everything we normally do on Christmas Eve…had dinner…opened our Christmas pjs….

and watched a Christmas movie.

The girls still all sleep in the same bed on Christmas Eve. 

That tradition started many years ago when they all fit! 

Sunday morning was our Christmas morning.

We opened gifts…

and had our traditional sausage biscuit breakfast. 

Bubbles kept an eye on the shrimp for us!

That night we decided to do something special and went to the Angus Barn. 

I do not know how to even begin to describe this place to those who are not from this area and aren't familiar with its reputation. 

It was the most wonderful Christmas experience I have ever had.

There was wassail, hot chocolate, apples, banjos, jingle bells, Mrs. Santa Clause, reindeer, little elves skipping around, burning fireplaces, gigantic Christmas trees and even some ugly elves that photo bombed pictures….

Some of the little elves were handing out warm ginger bread men as we left.

On the real Christmas Eve we made homemade pizza…

and my grandma's chocolate pound cake to take to my dad's house on Christmas Day.

Brooke was working/flying…

and sent us this picture of Jamaica.

If you can't be home with your family for Christmas, Jamaica will do! 

PAGING NURSE BRITTANY

Last weekend we got to watch and celebrate #1's

graduation from UNC Chapel Hill.

She graduated from the school of nursing.

We are so proud of her and so elated that she is finally a graduate!

After the ceremony we went to the different UNC landmarks to take some pictures, but everyone that graduated had the same plan we did. 

It was too crowded and there were lines. 

So we headed to the Fearington House to take pictures.

The famous belted cows were out so why not take pictures with them?

We then headed back towards campus…

and walked around Franklin Street before our dinner reservations.

We finally made it home and Brittany had a few graduation gifts waiting to be opened.

I decided to keep up with our birthday sign tradition

(just simple signs on notebook paper)

and made her some special ones. 

Maybe in a few weeks I can make her a

"I got a job"

sign?

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY

Happy Thanksgiving!

Art, Barrett and I will be having a quiet Thanksgiving at the beach.

We left Raleigh this afternoon and drove through the wind and cold rain. 

We have our fireplace logs on right now and are watching a movie. 

We had Thanksgiving at my dad's house on Sunday. 

Since Brooke is living in DC and on call tomorrow, she was not able to come home.

She did have last Sunday and Monday off and was able to come home then, so my family decided to  get together for the holiday then. 

***********

We went to the last NC State football game of the season on Saturday.

We tailgate with over 20 - 30 great friends and couldn't miss our last home game with them even though the team has had a very bad loosing season. 

Brittany and BF1 tailgated with us too.  

As soon as we got home from the (sad) game, we were busy in the kitchen (again). 

Barrett loves to cook and helped me out a lot preparing things to take to my dad's. 

We made fresh cranberry salad, squash casserole and marinated carrots. 

(We also took a Honey Baked Ham.)

Barrett has become a great baker and wanted to make the desserts. 

She made a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie. 

She even decorated the pies with piecrust cutouts.

The pecan pie had a squirrel and acorns on it. 

She dressed for the occasion….

Actually that is the dress she wore to the football game - NC State red -  and once we got home and started cooking,  she put on my grandmother's apron.  

She just looked so festive I had to make her pose outside for a picture, 

On Sunday morning, Art picked Brooke up from the airport 

and once she got home and freshened up we headed to my dad's house.

He lives 1 1/2 hours away from Raleigh. 

I have a very small family.

I have one brother who is married and they have one daughter, M.

(M got married this summer and is expecting the first great grandchild early summer!)

It is still so strange to not have my mom around. 

This is our third holiday season without her and I do not know if I will ever get used to not seeing her buzzing around the kitchen.

 She is missed. 

We got home late Sunday, unloaded the car, put our comfy sweats on and headed out to the late movie.  

Even though w were tired we wanted to see The Hunger Games - Catching Fire together since we all read the books.

I actually didn't fall asleep! 

That's saying something! 

On Monday while Art was busy making bacon, the girls and I went shopping. 

I would love to say it was Christmas shopping, but it was not. 

Let's just say we had a lot of fun! 

(oops!)

When we got home, I made the girls go outside in the freezing cold to take Christmas card pictures. 

It was very very cold! 

They were not happy. 

I got a few good shots and a lot of bad shots. 

This pretty much shows you the trouble maker……

Charlie would not cooperate. 

He was either looking sideways or wiggling. 

Lola was the total diva and thought the photo shoot was all about her. 

She is perfect in every picture! 

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving will be quiet for us. 

This is the first time my family will not be together. 

Brooke is in DC on call. 

It is amazing she will not be on an airplane, especially with all of the airline delays and weather drama tonight. She cannot be here in NC, because when you are on call you have to be an hour away from the airport. She and the new BF are cooking in DC. Yes, she landed on her feet in the BF department 

and is very happy. 

The new BF2 seems to be a great fit. 

The most impressive thing about him is that every time I have talked to him,

 he has complimented and gushed about Brooke. 

Mom's like guys that gush about their daughters! 

Brittany didn't come to the beach so that she could go to BF1's Thanksgiving. 

After six years of dating, this is the first year she has had the opportunity to go. 

Art, Barrett and I will have a simple Thanksgiving together. 

We have decided to pass on the turkey since we had that on Sunday and are having beef instead. 

We are making fresh cranberry salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, marinated mushrooms and a salad. 

Friday we are going to visit friends in Myrtle Beach and fight the crowd at the outlet mall there. 

(Myrtle Beach is only thirty minutes away.)

Although this is a different Thanksgiving for us, I am looking forward to it.  

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Safe travels!

Hug your mamas!

And your dogs!

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY

We had a birthday at our house last week.

#1 is 24!

#2 wasn't able to be home on Brittany's actual birthday so we celebrated twice, 

during the week on her birthday and then again on Saturday.

Unfortunately, #1 had to spend the day of her birthday working a twelve hour shift at the hospital, 

but after she got off, we went to the Bon Jovi concert.

I have always wanted to see them and was so glad that Brittany didn't mind spending her birthday there with me.

(They were great!)

When we got home late that night we had a little cake!

I found the cutest little fall themed cake at Whole Foods

and

it was delicious!

(Their cakes are always very good.)

Friday night, Brooke flew home from DC.

She and Barrett got started on the real birthday cake Saturday morning.

(I love that the three of them make each others' birthday cakes.)

They decided on an old fashioned southern Caramel Cake. 

It turned out to be a little more complicated than they expected….

involving melting granulated sugar over low heat, stirring constantly forever and ever, 

reaching an exact temperature and not going over it……

and well, 

after much labor,

here is a picture of Barrett trying to stretch and pat what was supposed to be the caramel frosting onto the cake.

And here is the cake after a trip to the grocery store to buy canned frosting! 

(The caramel frosting was literally rolled off the cake and thrown into the trash.)

That night we finally let Brittany open her gifts…

 and after some primping 

we took the traditional picture of her holding the notebook paper sign. 

We went out to eat at a new mexican restaurant in downtown Raleigh,

BF1 joined us.

Not your typical mexican fare, but in my opinion it was so much better!

Afterwards we came home for cake.

 

Happy Birthday Brittany!

I have a feeling that this is going to be really big year for you!