Christmas #1... Lou Lou and Grandaddy's
Each Friday before Christmas, you will most likely find us in Philadelphia at Justin's grandparents. His 2 uncles, his aunt, mom and all their spouses and their children and their children's children come under one roof to celebrate the Season together. It's always good food (although sometimes random) and fellowship with people we only see once a year. This year I was sad though because Kevin (Justin's uncle) and his family weren't there. I adore Lucy... Kevin's wife and love their two GORGEOUS children Lindy and Christopher. The good news is we'll see them at the Fair!! This year at Lou Lou and grandaddy's was a little different for two reasons... the temp outside had decided to get into the 70's... which makes it a little harder to get into the Christmas spirit... and Preston is VERY mobile... which meant not a lot of visiting and a whole lot of chasing!! Here are some pictures!!
Justin's mom, sister and one of his nephews
Dee Dee... Justin's aunt, and her two precious girls, Morgan and Mary Margaret 
Grandaddy and his namesake... our sweet baby P
Christmas #2
Justin's Mom (Angie) and LP
The morning after Lou Lou and Grandaddy's shindig (is that how you spell that?) we have Christmas with Justin's mom and step dad. Angie cooks breakfast for everyone and then we open Christmas presents. My favorite part of our get together with her is reading the Christmas story with all of the kids (Preston and Marley's five babies... although only a couple are still babies!) This year, she had the coolest "game" all of the Nativity figures were in boxes and you opened a box as the Nativity story was told. All of the kids were really into it (except the two youngest who still don't really get Christmas) and wanting to open the boxes and anxiously awaited each figure as it was revealed!! Another thing I love about this Christmas is watching the oldest girls open their presents! This year, I painted them canvases to hang in their room (their house has recently been renovated and they finally each have their own room). They were so excited!! I was also super excited to give Justin's mom her Pandora bracelet!! And I was super excited about my present this year... I'll admit it... I'm so totally hard to buy for. I tell everyone just to give me money, but Justin's mom never does and always hits it on the head! Example: this year she got me a gift card to Hobby Lobby!!! How great is that?? I'm SOOO excited!! Here are some pic
s from Christmas with Ang and LP!
s from Christmas with Ang and LP! Preston with his Poppie
Opening the Nativity
The girls and their canvases
Christmas #3
Justin's dad (Larry)
Later on that afternoon, we go to Marley and Jason's house to have Christmas with Justin's dad and his wonderful fiance Brenda. This year was great because Marley and Jason had recently gotten through renovating their house... and when I say renovate, I mean they basically built a brand new house. Now, all the kids have a room to call their own and Marley has room to breathe! The kids were so excited, and since I hadn't seen the "new" house yet, they all wanted to take me on a tour to show me their new rooms! I loved it, but I loved even more how excited they were! Here are some pics from Christmas with Preston's Papaw and BB...
The whole family... minus BB (Brenda)... somebody had to take the picture!! haha!
Papaw and his three oldest
Christmas #4... and we're just getting started!!
Ron's (my step-dad) kids
Ron's (my step-dad) kids
So let me just say, that while I am technically an only child, I am the youngest in a VERY large family! My Ron has 4 children from a previous marriage... all older than I. The Sunday before Christmas (this is the same weekend as our Philly Christmases for those of you keeping score), all of his kids and their kids come to Tupelo for Christmas! It's always a lot of fun... and a lot of people!! All together there are 5 children + spouses, and 9... that's right... I said NINE grandchildren... which brings us to a grand total of 22 people under one roof!! Of course this is counting Ms. Nell that comes to help my momma with it all!! She couldn't make it without her! Well, I guess she could, but we wouldn't want her to! She'd never get to enjoy it! Everyone arrives, snacks on yummy stuff... including my mom's AWESOME sausage balls (by far one of my FAVORITE things at Christmas), then we have lunch... but not before the Christmas story is read from Luke and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus... complete with a cake and candle (for the younger kids to blow out!) Enjoy these pics!
My step sisters Lauren (center) and Julie (right) with their youngest Libby (belonging to Julie) and Jack (belonging to Lauren)
The best I could do at catching Jack and Preston together... put two toddlers (born within 6 months of each other) together and try to keep up with them!! If I did it more often I'd be skinny in no time!! ha ha!
Happy birthday, Jesus!!
Christmas #5... you tired yet??
Santa Claus came!!
Santa made a special exception for us this year, he came to see Preston on Christmas Eve eve! And Santa was oh so good to our sweet baby boy! He got him linens for his big boy bed... which he'll be in before long.. a learning kitchen, a big boy chair, books, blocks, and lots more stuff! Plus, Justin, Preston, and I had Christmas together. Justin was too good to me... as always, but one thing in particular I want to tell you about. I have a Pandora bracelet that I just LOVE. Every charm on it has a meaning to me. Justin got me the pic nic basket for Christmas along with a red heart charm. The reason it's so special is because he proposed to me on a pic nic... what wonderful memories!!! And now when I look at it, not only will I be reminded of that great day, but also that my sweetie is thoughtful enough to remember it as well!! Anyway, enough of me being Ms. Mushy, here's what Santa brought P!! 
Christmas #6
My mom and Ron
My mom and Ron
Late afternoon on Christmas Eve we head over to my mom and Ron's to have Christmas with them. It's always so much fun! We have snacks... including those AWESOME sausage balls... we seriously tell her to make nothing more but that... of course she doesn't listen and does! Then we open presents. It's so much fun, and for some reason, always seems a little less hectic than our other Christmases. Preston got a 4 wheeler... yes, I said a 4 wheeler... that his daddy seemed to enjoy more than he did... at least until he figures out how to work it, then he'll be not only mobile, but motorized! And great-aunt Mary Rose found an old antique rocking horse at an estate sale and said Preston just had to have it! And he did... although he was scared of it!
Daddy on Preston's new ride!
Family pic
Mimi and Pop
Christmas #7
Nana
This year is the last year we'll travel to Cleveland to see Nana on Christmas Eve... next year, Santa said... "No more exceptions!" So we will be home on Christmas Eve so Santa can come and P can be like the rest of the kids and wake up on Christmas day to find what Santa has left! However, this year, we traveled to Cleveland on Christmas Eve so that we would be there in plenty of time for Christmas with my Nana at 10:00 am Christmas Day... however, we were completely unaware that my uncle wouldn't be showing up to Nana's until well after lunch... just don't tell Santa... wouldn't want him to think he made an exception for us for no reason!! Well, maybe do tell Santa and he'll leave some coal in my uncle's stocking for being so late!
Preston and my (and his) great aunt Rachel! She absolutely adores him... and he adores her!
Sweet baby was so tired, and he was so sick... we had been to the dr. just a few days earlier. So P was on anti-biotics all during these last few Christmases and he was so not happy. I think all he wanted was to be home.
My uncle, his wife, their kids, and Nana
My mom, Ron, Justin, Nana, Preston, and I... would have been great if Ron would have been looking!! Oh well, thank goodness for photoshop!
Christmas #8
My dad, Mary Beth, Memaw and Vernon
On Christmas Day, we traveled to Grenada to have Christmas with my dad, his wife, Mary Beth, my Memaw and her husband, Vernon. A good time was had by all, although I wish Preston had been feeling better! By this point, he's sick and I'm on the decline! We had our traditional salmon and eggs the next morning after opening presents with Nanna and Pop... Mary Beth's parents. Here are the final pictures from our "Christmas Tour"
Preston... not feeling good. The thumb in the mouth is NEVER a good sign when he's awake!
Preston and Papa... reading a book! Sad, but this is really all I got at Memaw 's!
I was sick and Preston was sick, I guess that's why!
I know I should have elaborated a little bit more on the last two, but let's face it!! This was a LOT to blog about and I'm exhausted!! And despite how much we would LOVE to go on vacation (like they plan on doing in the movie)and skip all the Christmasing, truth is, we feel blessed and loved to be able to do this every year! There are so many people in this world who don't even have 1 Christmas to go to and we are fortunate enough to have 8!!?!? God is so good!!
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