Ok, I am well aware that I am a few days late with a "Merry Christmas" post, but I was really enjoying the laziness of Christmas and doing nothing but opening presents and hanging out with family. Blogging is work; there was no way in hell I was gonna do anything that resembled work on Christmas!
Every year we drive down to the East Bay to spend Christmas with my husbands family. We do Christmas Eve at his Grandma's house (everyone comes, you're not aloud to NOT come), and then Christmas day with his Dad. When I say every year, I mean every year! Our first Christmas together we lived in Washington, about 20-25 minutes from Seattle. WE DROVE ALL NIGHT TO MAKE IT DOWN FOR CHRISTMAS. Talk about a long ass drive. Anyway, this year was no different. I love spending Christmas down there. My husbands WHOLE family gets together, all of his aunts and uncles and cousins... even his 105 year old Great Grandma!! Yes folks, you are reading that right. Lady is 105, 'bout to turn 106 in February. She doesn't quite remember everyone, but is still well enough to be brought over and enjoy dinner with the family. (I know she has no idea who I am, so I usually don't partake in the whole-family-hug-great-grandma routine, cause I don't want to confuse her.) She noticed me this time though, although I know she won't remember me for next Christmas.
I really love that we are able to/make it a priority to head down there for Christmas. It's identical to how every one of my childhood Christmas were. Every Christmas Eve (except for a VERY few), my parents took us over to my Grandparents on my moms side and the WHOLE family was there. All of my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, their boyfriend/girlfriends, their boyfriend/girlfriend's kids... even friends who had no where else to go. My grandma ALWAYS bought extra little gifts for extra kids who showed up unannounced. My grandparents had a very small two bed, one bath house... we'd cram 30-40 people in there every year.
Anywho! This year I got designated to make the Green Bean Casserole. Usually this is Aunt Tammy's job... if she doesn't make it she isn't aloud to come. The funny thing is she doesn't even like the stuff... but OH EM GEE do I freakin' love it. I'm moving on up in this family now, I'm getting assigned shit to make! Ohhhhh yeaaaaaaah. I also made this AMAZING Three Cheese Artichoke Dip that is to die for. I'll find the recipe and post soon!
We didn't get back to his dads house until I think 1:30 in the morning! I was beyond exhausted and literally walked in the door and straight into our room to go to bed. Christmas morning was amazing. I LOVE Christmas,... it is my favorite time of year. Not just for the presents... although those are pretty fabulous too. I love getting together with everyone and being around family. It's about a 3 to 3 1/2 hour drive down (in good weather, which we HAVE not been getting lately. It took us 6 1/2 hours to get home yesterday due to the snow), and that is our closest family. The rest of my family is in Washington and Texas. It's hard not being able to see them, really hard. And the longer I haven't seen them the harder it gets. But we do at least get to see his family every couple months.
All in all, this Christmas was better then expected. We got a real tree this year and apparently my cats don't like the smell of "outdoors" because they wouldn't even go near it! Don continued his Christmas tradition of getting me a new Coach bag, and his Dad and I got him a new Snowboard! Yes ladies, my husband has a tradition of buying me Coach bags... go a head and be jealous, I know you are. He got me one after we had been dating a couple of months, got me one last Christmas, and then one again this Christmas. He "says" he won't be getting me one every year, but tradition is tradition... you CANNOT break that!
I hope everyone had a love filled Christmas!
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| Christmas Eve at Grandmas |
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| I think my face says it all |
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| Hubs finding out he's getting a Snowboard |
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| Obligatory tree photo |
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| Snowboard he bought on our way home |
Great pictures! You both look so cute! It is really great to have family traditions like that! So many people don't have them these days, it is nice that you both make the effort to see family on the holidays!
ReplyDeleteBelated Merry Christmas to you too. It sounds like you had a wonderful time visiting family and your 105 year-old Great Grandma. Wow! I love the photos. (By the way, I learned about your blog from Hannah, and I'm a new follower. Any friend of Hannah's is a friend of mine. You have a great blog :)
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