Holiday Hoop-la

Here I am in probably the most hectic week of my entire semester and what am I doing? Oh, that's right I'm blogging. Help me Jesus.

Drew and I very much enjoyed our holiday festivities. We traveled to North Carolina to see some of his extended family for a quick trip. It was a great visit and we don't get to see that family nearly as much as we would like. But it was good to get to sit down and talk with them.

We left from there and headed to the Pound where there was no shortage of events. We watched my brother play 2 basketball games. Had our Christmas card pics done. Two Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday. Drinks with old friends on Friday. Two trees to help put up and we couldn't pass up some baby time with Jackson. Oh and Drew spent most everyday in the woods. It certainly didn't feel like a week off but it was a good hectic. We saw a lot of people and got to do some of the things we love about home.

But after all of the going it's nice to be back home. I get to enjoy my Christmas tree again and spend some time with our friends here for the holidays. We are having our small group Christmas party here next week and I'm very excited for that. Side note: What do you all call a gift exchange you do for a large group of people where you can take gifts from each other? My friend Nicole asked if we wanted to do "white elephant" at the Christmas party. Which I assumed was a drug reference and naturally said "of course!" I'm only partially kidding. My family has always called that "Chinese Christmas" which I'm now not sure is PC. Others have said yankee swap, but I'm not a yankee so I don't care for that. Or dirty Santa which sounds worse than white elephant to me. So I'm on the hunt for an appropriate name and taking suggestions....

In even more exciting news, I'm going to be an auntie to a sweet baby girl in April. Between my Shelby girl, sweet little Jackson and little one to come I could just squeal. I'm in no rush to have one but thank goodness for friends and family members who share their little ones with me. One of my favorite memories from the Thanksgiving holiday was Shelby (who is 2 years old mind you) saying "I've got everybody I need." Oh I could just eat her up. Not to mention getting to see some of Drew's cousins we don't get to see often. They were some of the sweetest most loving little ones. I'll just tell you, holidays are no fun without kiddos.

There was also, however, a sad realization while I was at home. My sister and I volunteered to put up my granny's Christmas tree. On our way to her house it dawned on us that neither of us know how to put lights on a tree. So we just hoped it was pre-lit.

It was not.

So after a couple of failed attempts and a pitiful phone call to my daddy, he saved the day. We still put the ornaments on it but I mean come on, Ike could have done that. The main thing is, the job was done. Nevermind that the two people who volunteered did not do it.

I blame my mother, she never allowed us to decorate the tree. And now I blame Wal-Mart & Target because the 2 trees I have bought have both been pre-lit. So the sad realization is: I'm useless. Plus those branches are prickly.

Be on the lookout for our Christmas card. And if you aren't on our mailing list here is a highlight. Feel free to print it off because honestly, who doesn't want a picture of a damn cute dog and two awkward adults on their fridge? Thanks to Drew's cousin Kacey for making us look halfway presentable, she is a magician I tell ya!