The Nuts and Bolts of a Washer: Christmas Celebrations Part 2

I want to start this post off with the most amusing 'blow up doll' seen in a front yard this year...

Yes, that is Santa peaking out of port-a-potty. Oh but don't worry he moved and opened and closed the door...classic!!!

Christmas weekend festivities began on Friday night when all, but 1, of the nieces and nephews came to spend the night. Of course we didn't have Benjamin because he's too small to stay away from Mommy. The rowdy bunch started shuffling in at about 6pm. We played Christmas Bingo, nerf gun war, built a tent, ate pizza and the older ones watched The Help. I know what you're thinking...not Christmasy, but it's such a good movie I wanted to watch it :). Finally at about 11pm everyone started settling down. The three youngest, Ruthie, Sarah and Caleb, claimed the guest bedroom, while Christopher and Hannah were stuck sleeping on couches in the living room.

Morning came too early! Caleb doesn't have a quiet speaking voice and he opened the door of the bedroom practically yelling at about 7:30am. Now that is actually later than we expected the little ones to wake up because of their excitement on Thanksgiving morning...4:30am!!!!! I'm guessing it's because it wasn't actually Christmas morning, but Christmas Eve. The rest of the family started arriving at about 9am and the men started cooking breakfast. Man, did it take FOREVER!!!! I don't think we ate until almost 11. Everyone was able to get through the entire movie or Home Alone 2 before the food was done. However, it was delicious and I guess worth the wait.

Then came present time...

I couldn't get all of the presents in the picture because a lot of them had been handed out at this point. But lets just say that the TV on the left side of the picture was completely covered :).

Look at Benjamin's cute little Santa booty!!

We are sooo glad that Gary's Pop Washer was able to join us this. Usually Pop Barlar and his wife Christine would come up for Christmas morning breakfast, but we were so blessed for Pop Washer to be there this year.

We start with the youngest and move to the oldest so that everyone can see what everyone got.

Benjamin goes first!!

And that's as far as he made it. He loved the tissue paper!!

Melvin passed him off to Pop and opened the rest of his gifts.

Caleb goes next. He ripped through his presents so fast we couldn't even tell what they were. He wasn't really excited about anything and when he was done he just sat there and looked at everyone like, ok who's next? He is so goofy!!

Once he was able to take all of his toys out of the boxes He was a little more excited. He was actually more excited for Christopher's presents and kept commenting everytime he opened more money.

Then Sarah went,

and then Ruthie!

We all opened our presents and then it was Gary's dad's turn. Once he was done opening his gifts Gary said, "You aren't done." We had taken a gun cabinet that he had in his basement from his great grandparents house and refinished it for him and it was sitting in the corner of our dining area (where that tree was) covered up with a blanket. Gary said, "Dad, I can write you a check for $20 or you can you take what's behind the blanket." He laughed and said he wanted what was behind the blanket.

Gary put his guns in it just for show.

He loved it and actually told Gary that he was planning on doing that for him...HAHA!!

After everyone left, Gary and I rested up and then headed down to AL to spend the night because Gary is teaching class at my parent's church all quarter. We were there all alone the whole night because my mom was already in Smyrna getting ready for Christmas lunch and my dad had to work that night. It was kind of weird waking up on Christmas morning to an empty house. Right after church we headed back to TN to celebrate with my mom's side. We got lots and lots of money and subscriptions to Gospel Advocate and Christian Woman (thanks Grandmother).