Christmas 09

This Christmas was nuts!
(but one of the best ever)

We traveled to Tennessee to see Granny and Papaw (it's been six years since we spent Christmas there--I think I was pregnant with Daegan the last time we visited for Christmas Day). Granny always spoils the kids rotten allowing them to eat and drink whatever they want whenever they want it *chagrin*. The kiddos have fun though, and they love being the center of attention and having every want fulfilled. So, we started the holidays the day before Christmas Eve with Jeannette and Matthew, Bonnie, Shane, Destinee and Lane, and Philip, Jessica, Cadence and Tatum over at Mike and Chyral's (aka Papaw and Granny). Dinner was yummy and then came the first round of presents. The kids had a blast opening gifts from aunts, uncles, and cousins, and they looked longingly for the next day and half at the remaining presents under the tree.

Christmas Eve we ventured over to Jessica and Philip's to see their new house (which is really lovely). Sadly, I fell asleep while everyone else enjoyed a movie or two! Everything was just so warm and inviting I guess I completely relaxed! So, no pics to share :(

After dinner and my nap, we headed back to Mike and Chyral's for the kids to open their Christmas PJs, a Clark family tradition. We made a pit stop along the way to sing Christmas Carols outside the home of Uncle Robbie, Auntie Michale, Gabriel and Ashlee's as they were sick and so were unable to attend Christmas day festivities the following day. Once at Granny and Papaw's, the kids unwrapped and loved their cozy new duds and off to bed they went in anticipation of Christmas morning--which came sooner than the boys would have liked! Ha ha ha. Their faces were priceless. I'm pretty sure that behind the camera my face looked a lot like Daegan's! Needless to say, I went back to bed when the gifts were all unwrapped!

We completed our trip to Knoxville with breakfast and more presents at Uncle Philip and Jessica's house. Bakugans, My Littlest Pet Shop, and Superheros were the themes this year. Philip with Holt and Daegan

We left Philip and Jessica's and made the 3 hour drive home where the kids found many more presents, this time from Santa, waiting under the tree. The mad dash to get through Santa's gifts began at 2:30 when we got home. Unfortunately, the unwrapped presents had to wait for complete and utter kiddie attention until later because we had to leave our house by 4 to get to Nana and G-Pop's for Christmas Night festivities (tradition on my side of the family). We arrived fashionably late (as usual) around 5:15 and were greeted by Uncle Steve and his family, GiGi, and Meme (a unusual treat to have both great grandmothers here for Christmas!), Uncle Todd and Jessica, and cousins Gavin and Hayden. Dinner was grande (though I missed the bourbon in GiGi's sweet potatoes--I think she forgot it) and Patrick did have to clean up doggy poo from Nana's white carpet (drug in by Daegan no less)--sorry Nana!

Santa Gifts waiting for us at home:

Nana and G-Pop's and GiGi's

All the kids (Holt, Hailee, Lilee, Hayden, Daegan, Gavin, and Kaitlyn)

Nana and Daegan

Meme ("Grandmother" in French) and Holt

GiGi and the kids

Uncle Todd and Gavin

After dinner Hailee read the Christmas Story, Patrick sang "Joseph's Lullaby" for us, and we opened more presents! The kids were in heaven and a little overwhelmed I think by it all (as I imagine heaven would be a bit overwhelming to me!). It would seem that despite every member of my family dealing with job loss this year in the Great Recession that we all made it through and that Christmas was indeed a success. The presents were lovely, but the company was amazing and it was one of the best Christmases ever!