Our Christmas 2011

HI Everyone!! Merry Christmas!!! My family had a great one! On Christmas Eve we went over our friend Danielle's house, she & her family have an open house-it was fun! We got there around 3:30 and stayed til around 5, then a quick stop at home to pick up a pumpkin pie I had made and then off to our brother & Sister In laws for a really yummy turkey dinner! We had a nice time with our nephews (Jimmy, Patrick & Christopher) The kids opened their gifts.. we decided a few years ago to end adult gifts on my husband's side. WHich is fine by us, Brian & I didn't even exchange presents this year. It's been a tough year, on quite honestly everyone--- gas prices, etc. PLUS, We wanted a christmas WITHOUT any debt!!! We succeeded to, were able to buy all the presents with CASH!!! This is a first for us and I'll be happy to have this tradition continue!! :) Anyway, after we left Jim & Debbie's house we got home and read Emily How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Twas the night before Christmas (this is tradition in our house!) Emily still LOVES it!!! She was able to open one gift on Christmas Eve.. a bagugan!! Then it was bedtime.. Emily is really good about going to bed, Ofcourse her supplemental Melontonin helps.. LOL! She slept until 9!!! :) She was SOOOO over the moon about her presents, she got a good amt of gifts and the one thing she wanted the most & she's HAPPY!! Seeing her joy & smile while opening her presents was honestly the only gift I needed.Then after Emily & Fernando opened their presents. We just got Fernando a few presents.. a pair of work boots, a thermal shirt, a pop-corn tin, and a few others.. he's getting older himself! I still feel like he's only a teenager but he's not & so the adult gift plan goes for him too but we couldn't not get him anything. so we got him a few things. Anyway, after that we headed over to my aunts for her annual Christmas morning breakfast.. soo yum!!! My cousin Ursula made this stuffed frenchtoast that was so good, we were soo full by the time we left (well except Brian he couldn't eat any of it, his stomach was bothering him alot the day before and he didn't want to push it.. so he had a bowl of cereal when he got home.. poor guy, really missed out!!) Anyway, that was sooo much fun! But we had to get home to put our turkey in the oven *yes we had turkey again, Brian's FAVORITE!!! And one of the few things he can eat without it upsetting his stomach... Emily was happy to be home and be able to finally play with all her toys!!!!!! We then just had a nice quiet dinner of: turkey, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, crescent rolls, & green beans.. it was delicious if I do say so myself.. lol! Anyway.. it was a terrific Christmas, the only thing that could have made it any better was if my mom was here! But otherwise it was perfect!! Oh AND Emily got me a beautiful paper magnet for Christmas that she bought at her school's kiddie shop that said, "Mom- you are beautiful" It was perfect and THE ONE & only gift I needed! I LOVED IT SOO MUCH!! I honestly was overwelmed by it and felt like the luckiest person alive, I didn't need anything else I had my family.. we are blessed in so many ways.. it's been a tough year but we've come through it, stronger & happier! That's how I feel right now.. just happy! Happy to be me! Merry Christmas friends... I hope your family had as wonderful of a Christmas as ours!