Holiday memories

Post-Christmas rundown...all in all, it was a pretty good holiday.  My poor father had to work all day (He started at 4 a.m. and went until basically 8 p.m.) so we all pitched in to help make the traditional soup dinner.  T and I managed to get our hamburger soup there without any issue until some jerk in front of us hit his breaks too hard and some of it ended up on T's car floor.  However, all was not lost.  We made it to my parent's house, soup in tow, along with the supplies for the Irish car bombs and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  Oh and presents, of course!  (I am a good aunt after all...I wouldn't show up empty handed!) 

It was great to spend time with family and watch the kids get excited for Santa.  As it got closer and closer to 5:00 p.m, it was time for our annual tradition:  pre-mass shot.  This year, T and I decided to do an Irish car bomb, since we had such a great time with them last weekend.  We had to bring plenty of pint glasses, shot glasses and, of course, Guinness.  Setting up was quite a task, but we managed to do just that and in plenty of time, too!

Aren't they a thing of beauty?  And they went down smoothly, too!  It didn't feel right going to church for Christmas mass without my Dad there, and I know he much rather would have been with us than at work.  Mass was crazy busy, as is always the case for your standard Christmas and/or Easter Catholic mass.  You know, you get the people who don't ever go to church but for those two days a year.  So you have to get there like 45 minutes early and somehow entertain the children with you so they don't go completely crazy before mass begins?  They were pretty well-behaved, though, all things considered.  

I particularly love Christmas mass, though, the readings and the music.  Also, it's the one time a year we all go to mass as a family, which is always nice.  After church, we headed back and had our dinner of soup, bread and lots of yummy treats.  (Pumpkin cookies?  A hit!)  Of course...we had some more Guinness...

I think I'm a bad influence on T....

It was so much fun watching the children enjoy their presents.  They get so excited...it's too cute.  T and I had our own Christmas celebration on the 23rd before we headed up to my parent's house.  Since we're building a house and all, T and I cut back on gifts, limiting ourselves to $20 each.  Me, I got T some new pens that he loves, pajama pants and a nice Beavis & Butthead t-shirt, since he loves that show so much.  T was so thoughtful with his gift.  He got me a frame from Things Remembered with our wedding date engraved on it and my favorite picture from our wedding.  It's going with me to work tomorrow so that, whenever I'm having a bad day at work, I can just look at that picture and remember the happiest day of my life.  I sure picked a good one, didn't I girls?

But really, I didn't need a present to open from T this Christmas...he was my present this year.  Our first Christmas as a married couple was a success and a wonderful day.  One of many, for the rest of our lives....

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas holiday with friends, family and loved ones!


I'll be back with a nice Motivation Monday post next Monday!  It's New Years Resolution time, so be thinking of yours!