Christmas Re-Cap --> --> -->

 So here's how it 'went down' as our 
local newscasters are wont to say...

[and THAT drives me cRaZy by the way!]

I took a couple of days off before Christmas to do a little baking and prep for our Christmas Eve Dinner with our little family – 

 

We enjoyed an ‘open house’ full of Christmas Goodies with some friends on the 23rd- lots of fun there too!

[Soo hard to believe that all of our boys are all grown up!]

And then I woke up Christmas Eve with the most overwhelming sense of sadness – that longing for something I cannot have here on earth again –

 

But I was DETERMINED that I did not want my grieving to overshadow our time together… so I took a little walk around our big back yard and cried it out…

 Then I put on my [big girl] long johns and headed out to 

our Christmas Eve Service. 

I SO ENJOY the fireworks to ‘Joy to the World’ 

to celebrate our savior’s birth –

 LOVED that all the family was there with me.

That was such a very, very special gift to me…

Then we came home and had a delicious meal of berried treasure salad [re-created from a favorite of Craig’s while we were in California,] prime rib [cooked in rock salt,] stuffed chicken breasts, roasted carrots and parsnips, brussell sprouts with bacon, Paula Dean’s mashed potatoes, and crème brule’ 

 

[that the guys enjoyed brule’ing – ha.]

After that we opened gifts – so fun!

Christmas Day we went over to The Shoals and had lunch with Craig’s mother – always so good to have un-hurried time to just visit!

That evening Craig, Matt, and I enjoyed what is becoming our traditional Christmas Night Movie Outing – we saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Loved it.

Beautifully filmed.

Great Message.

[Then it was back-to-work for me... Ha.]

Saturday we Christmas-ed again 

with extended family on Craig’s side up in Nashville –

As always, it’s just good to be together and catch up with each other. 

We sure missed those who couldn’t be with us!

 [Although, I plan to 'shop' one into this gr-kids photo – ha.]

Then Sunday we headed down to Birmingham 

to be with my extended family. [Missed those who couldn't be with us --]

What a bittersweet time it was.

 But it was oh-so-good to JUST BE with my sweet brother and sister. 

Sometimes I just need to hear their voices - LOVE that we can do 

conference calling now and then!

  

 [And we did okay - love this photo of us 

from late October that I found on Craig's phone...]

 As a special treat, one of our mama’s sisters stopped by to 

say hello as she was traveling through…

 

Craig and I stayed the evening and enjoyed a little [man-made] snow and fun with MK at the Zoo Light Safari.

 

Later in the week we met friends for our [mostly] traditional  

New Year’s Eve dinner 

at Sho Gun. Always good.

[Again, missed those who couldn’t make it!]

We declared tonight the "last holiday meal" 

since Matt will be heading 'home' tomorrow - 

it's been a good holiday season for us.

Now it's down with the décor and off to a new year… 

Hope yours is starting out great.