Merry Christmas, From the Family

Look how pretty my parents' house looks!  Christmas Eve is the night my parents always have their Christmas party with both the families.

Mason, the kids and I get there early, along with Aunt Z, so Mama can put us to work if she needs to.

"Who's dog is this?" Mama asks.
"It's mine, Grams!" Naomi says, "Her name is Blondie!"
"Blondie?" Mama looks at me.
Mason and I both just shrug.
"Well, honey," Mama starts, "can we just make sure Blondie stays out of the food?  And maybe off of the furniture?"
"She's pretty well-behaved," I tell her.
I tried to get out of bringing the dog, but Naomi started with the puppy dog eyes again...ugh!  They're my weakness!

Aunt Ka-Ka does show up!
"Hey bitches!" She greets everyone, "the party can start, the alcohol has arrived!"

Aunt Becca shows up too!

I am so excited to see everyone!

When Becca arrives, she, Kelsey, Zoey, and Mama all head to the kitchen.
Oh crap, the quadrumvirate has reconvened...most likely at the mercy of a common goal...involving vodka shots, smart eggnog, funny brownies, and beer.

Once the Christmas spirits start making their way around, people start in on their usual crazy...Mom and Keaton start arguing about the condition of his hoodie...

"Blondie!  Down!" I say when I see our dog on the couch...
"It's ok hon, let her chill there," mom says.
"Mom...you just said..." I am always confused by her.
"I know what I said...I changed my mind." Mom replies.

Blondie looks at me like, "Haha!"  Damn dog!

My brother has his annual "Hey y'all, watch this!" moment...

"Keaton, you dumbass!  I hope you set your hoodie on fire!" Mama yells across the room.

I am always amazed that our actions on Christmas Eve don't either send someone to the ER, result in a call from the police, or a call from child protective services.
Aunt Ka-Ka says it's just because they haven't found our house yet...hmmm....probably true.

Oh well, we may not be right in the head, but we're a lot of fun!  LOL

We head home and thus starts the "It's time to go to bed" fight...thank goodness I only have one child I have to play that game with this year!



Also, when we get home, Lucas has a visitor!  Heaven has come to visit before she and her mother head home.



Lucas gets up the courage to tell her how much he likes her...



I think the feelings are mutual...



And I think he definitely gets what he wants for Christmas!



"Daddy?" Naomi pulls out her sweet little girl voice...oh no, my husband is toast...he can never really resist it.
"Yes punkin'?" He asks her.
"Do I have to go to bed?" She looks up at him sweetly.
"Honey, if you don't go to bed, Santa can't come," he tells her.
"I thought Santa came as long as you were good," she argues.  Lord mercy.
"Nope, he has to make sure everyone is in bed first," Mason says.
"Why?" This is Naomi's favorite word.
"Santa has to be safe...if he showed up while everyone was awake, sneaking into people's houses, he'd probably get shot."
This seems to pacify her, amazingly.
"Ok, upstairs, get your jams on," I tell her.



All of a sudden though, I hear,
"What's that smell?" come from Heaven.
"I don't know...oh no!  The tree is on fire!" Lucas yells.



Even with the kids freaking out, Mason and I manage to get the extinguishers out and put out the fire...before it gets really bad.
Thankfully no one was hurt and nothing was too badly damaged.
Mason vows to fireproof the fireplace first chance he gets.



I head upstairs to get the smell of smoke off of me, when I find Naomi in our bed.
"I thought you were supposed to be in bed," I tell her.
"I can't sleep Mama...can I have a story?" she asks.
"Ok, one story, then off to bed," I tell her.
"Can I sleep in here tonight?"
"No baby, you go sleep in your own bed," I tell her.
"But what if I'm scared of monsters?" she asks.
I give her a look.  Of all my children, Naomi is the one least afraid of anything.
"I know good and well you aren't afraid of any monsters," I say.
She looks at me a little guilty, like she's been found out.
"Ok, but can we read in here?" she asks.
"What is it with you and our bed?" I ask her.



"It's so cozy in here, Mama." she tells me.
I sigh.  I can't argue with her there.
"Okay, what book do you want to read?  Frosty?  Rudolph?  Twas' the Night Before Christmas?"
"Hmmm...definitely 'Twas the Night Before Christmas!"



So we settle in and read that one...and then she talks me into reading "The First Christmas"...a gift from my mother.
"Oh, Mama, did Grams bake the cake for baby Jesus?" Naomi really looks worried.
My mother has a tradition where she bakes a birthday cake for baby Jesus and we all sing Happy Birthday.
"Yes, we're going to sing Happy Birthday tomorrow, sweetie."

Mason gets out of the shower with his Christmas pajamas on, walks over to us, kisses Naomi on the forehead and me on the lips.
"Christmas kisses for both my girls,"
I smile and Naomi giggles.

"Ok, sweet pea, off to bed with you," I tell Naomi.
Amazingly, she heads to bed without an argument.



Since all the kids are in bed, I take a long, soothing bubble bath...
Whew, this is the best thing about tonight!  Haha!

With the boys and Naomi all in bed, Mason and I have a little private Christmas, if you catch my drift.  ;)



Blondie is asleep on the couch as well...



Since we're all asleep, and (according to my husband), isn't in danger of getting shot, Santa Claus comes!



...and he leaves an insane amount of stuff for the kids...



Which makes him laugh his signature, "Ho, ho, ho!"



Blondie is the first to wake up on Christmas morning, and she goes to Naomi first.
Naomi in turn realizes it is officially morning, and runs through the house like the town cryer yelling,
"Get Up!  Get up!  It's Christmas!  Get up!"

So we all get up and run down stairs...



Naomi is of course, first in line...



I hear a squeal before I see...
"Mama!  Daddy!  Come look!"
Santa left Naomi a doll house that looks like our house, a Christmas teddy bear, a costume chest, and a toy oven.
Also, Lucky got a new guitar and Lucas got a new drum set...yeah, thanks Santa!



After we open gifts, I make Christmas Crepes for breakfast.



Then the kids run outside where Mason put up a brand new swing set for Naomi and got both the boys scooters...on top of all the stuff he got for them in the house...
"I thought we were doing a two gift per kid rule this Christmas," I say with a smile, knowing among the many qualities his mother passed down to him, a talent for getting around gift restrictions is one of them.
"Yeah, they only have two gifts...one for inside, and one for outside." he says innocently.
"Uh-huh." is all I can say.

Before we head over to our parents houses, I get a surprise visitor...



It's Bonnie!  My Baby #9!



"What brings you here?" I ask her.
"Well," she starts, "I actually have something to tell you."

TO BE CONTINUED....?


*****  *****  *****  *****

NO MATTER WHAT YOU CELEBRATE, I HOPE YOU HAVE A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON THIS YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!