Everytime I go blog.......

Every time I go to update my blog,

I see all the updates on blogs I am following.

I get to reading and the time slips away!

Then I forgot what I wanted to blog about!

So I have glanced through everyone's updates,

Opened them all up in new tabs,

can't wait to read them,

but gotta POST FIRST!

So this will be a long update....wait for pictures....

Before Christmas and to get into the spirit of the season,

We went to our local fair grounds that has what they call:

"The Festival of Lights".

Here is Mark and Patricia at the beginning.

It was so awesome because while we were there,

it started to snow.

It really did feel like Christmas!

You can either walk through.

(Mark and Patricia below at their house)

 

or you can....

Ride on this!

and.....

This pulls the wagon!

They wore bells too.

It was awesome!

Best part is....

It only cost 3 bucks a person!

We paid for all the kids to ride with us.

So that put me in more of a Christmas spirit, and

I got all my wrapping done, and decorated the house.

(I personally did not even want to put up decorations this year!

But since I was hosting the dinner.....had to do something.)

 

This year, we ate dinner BEFORE we opened gifts!

I did not want to be left out of any of the festivities.

I worked hard to get into the spirit of things this year,

and I was NOT going to be left out!

Here is Briann,

she has discovered Pens and Paper!

And Parker, he was a bit tired.

(These pictures were Christmas Eve.)

Robert our middle son came home from California.

That was MY Christmas gift.

To have all my kids home!

Here, he and Cody were playing around with the camera.

Since things were tight this year,

because as you know,

it costs a lot to keep

equine, canine, and feline,

in the lifesyle to which they have become acustomed.

So we all agreed to do a

Chinese Gift Exchange.

Everyone was for it,

well except Robert.

He wanted to draw names,

majority ruled.

So after dinner, we all gathered in the living room.

Person number one chose a package.

Then Person number 2 chose a package.

Then Person number three decided to steal a package.

Everything went well, and there was a few thefts here and there.

But when it got down to the last package to choose,

I don't know if they just did not want it to end,

or what,

the thievery was running rampad.

It was fun!

Everyone was happy with their gifts,

and no one went broke.

That is the best part!

 

Here, Briann is. Note the look on her face at the tree.

She KNEW she was going to take that decoration off!

Here is Phillip happy with his gift, which got stolen twice, but he finally got it back.

 Robert got some BATH AND BODY WORKS!

But he got it stolen from him.

 

Rick got an Olive Garden Gift card, and

Got it stolen from him!

 

Cameron got a load lock bar, and got it stolen from him.

 

This is Pat and Eric, my brother.

 

This is a walking stick, that was carved.

The carver is in this picture on the far right.

 

Shelby got a NEW MOON CALENDAR!

 

I really really wanted it, but did not have the heart to take it from her! LOL

I can't remember who ended up with what now,

but everyone was happy.

Then I got some gifts from Romania....

 

This is GLISS hair Shampoo and Conditioner!

AWESOME STUFF!

I loved my hair after three weeks of using this stuff while I was there this past summer.

 

Then I got some beautiful melamine bowls.

 

AND..... SOME cookies that I fell in LOVE with while over there!

Awe....it was great!

 

Mark and Patricia gave Rick this for his shop.

And they gave me some red dishes.

Yes it was a good Christmas.

At the end, Cody came up to me and asked
if he could do the gift thing next year.

Broke my heart!

Well next year, he made me promise to include him in the exchange.
I CAN'T WAIT!
Everyone had a good time,
Christmas memories were made,
that will
last a lifetime!