It's time for another edition of "How I Spent My Christmas Vacation", by Stacey Bode. I was glad to just have a super-chill time with the folks, and I was completely thankful that doing so only took a short car trip versus an airplane. Yay! My sister and her hubby were in town, so it was swell to see them. We totally missed not being around Susie (Matt's mom) and John, but we're going to visit them in Florida as soon as 2009 hits. See ya next year! One highlight of the holiday was when we were all playing Cranium, and my Dad had to illustrate a movie title clue with his eyes closed (a movie he's never seen). All he had was a squiggle, and Ricardo shouted out "Snakes in the Plane!!". He got it. We call it a Christmas miracle.
Every year, it seems my mom and I get mad at someone who goes out and buys something at the last minute which is the SAME something that someone has already gotten them as a gift. Oh, and it's usually something they've specifically asked for. Does this happen in your family?? The logic escapes me. Well, this year the offender was MY MOM! As if it's not weird enough that I'm buying her video games for Christmas (she's obsessed with the Nintendo DS I got her last year), then she goes and buys one of the games I got her. If I didn't love her so much, I'd strangle her with boughs of holly.
On Christmas day, I went for a walk with dad and Matt. We couldn't believe how warm it was. I did half the walk in BARE FEET! It was surreal how warm the pavement was and that my parents live in a neighborhood that's so clean, I didn't even have to look down as I walked for fear of stepping on broken glass, discarded gum wads, or chicken bones. I miss the city.
After Christmas, we all went to a Thrashers game that Matt was announcing in the arena. Woo hoo! Matt did a super job and it was a great game, even thought we lost. :( It was fun explaining to everyone why the fans shout "Knights!" during the national anthem, and that people were not booing our goalie Hedberg, they were shouting his nickname, "Moose".
My Christmas gift to Matt was tickets to the North Mississippi All Stars concert, which we went to last night. They blues-jam-riffed our faces off!
Here are a few pics of some of the holiday goings-on...
One of my favorite new family traditions...Christmas Eve frozen pizza!
...and hot sauce, of course.
This is how gifts from my mom look. There's a reason why I didn't take photos of gifts I wrapped. Think the opposite of this.
The mini tree is now the only tree.
Here's Matt making me wish that I had a large book with a giant picture of Richard Burton on the front.
My artsy interpretation of the 2008 Marietta Christmas Eve downpour.
The fam!
Now for the loot! Matt got me TWO sweet photo books. I luvs me some Annie L! And I luvs me some Matt. Actual coffee bought in actual Costa Rica. Yum!
This smells so good, it should be called "Angel Farts". Uh, sorry.
What could be better than gift cards to two places that I can NOT enter without dropping way too much money?
This little contraption will make me even more crafty...or at least crafty with less embarrassment. Two unexpected symptoms of getting older are the inability to spell and the inability to cut a straight line.
My sister understands my shoe obsession. I actually have a pair like this one, but in black. Aw yeah.
My mom understands my obsession with shiny clutches. Mom, next year could you please have something for me to pose items on other than wicker? Thanks.
Everybody's trying to steal my gig. During these economic hardships, the last thing I need is more competition. I give up!
What a fantastic holiday! I hope you had a wonderful one, and I'd like to wish a very big Happy 2009 to everybody!!!
