Christmas Day

Christmas Eve evening, Charles and I attended the Candlelight Service at the Hernando Methodist Church which we both really enjoyed. We then enjoyed Christmas snacks and watched It's a Wonderful Life. We had such a nice Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning, I woke up at 4:00 but willed myself to go back to sleep and dozed on and off until 6:00. I figured that was late enough, so I woke Charles up and we went to the living room to open presents... Charles played Santa and handed out all our presents...

Toula came out to help us out...

She had a great time checking out all of the presents...

and trying to figure out what was in each box...

She also helped us open our presents by chewing on the corners...

She hopped all over the place and was so cute...

Charles brought out Toula's gift...

and although she was curious...

she decided not to try out her new bed. This was as close as she got to jumping in it on Christmas Day...(She ended up not hopping into it until the day after Christmas!)

Our little bunny gave both Charles and me a Gator Bowl t-shirt...

I opened that gift first since I knew what was inside! Then it was time for me to open my presents from Charles...I loved all my gifts!

Then Toula hopped over to help Charles open his presents...

Charles opened our gift from Santa first...

Hopefully, the MSU basketball team can get back on track so that we will be able to enjoy a fun game!

After every present that Charles opened, Toula had to check out the new paper... and ribbon on the floor!

Charles finished opening his presents...

and said... that he liked all of his presents...

Even though I loved all the presents Charles gave me, I didn't get the one present that I asked for - tickets to the Orpheum. So after Charles finished opening his presents from me and Toula, he said that he thought that there was one more present that Santa had left. He walked over to the tree, and I just had to follow him...

He pulled one more present from the tree...

for me to open - the tickets I wanted!!

After we finished opening our presents from each other, we opened our gifts from Charles's mom...

This time Charles got to go first...

and got lots of Mississippi State gear...

I opened my presents after him and got lots of neat things too....

We then turned the television on to The Christmas Story marathon...

which Charles enjoys every year.

This year, we enjoyed a Christmas breakfast of eggs and pigs in a blanket and orange juice while we watched the marathon.

We got ready to go to Batesville for Christmas at Mama's, and right before we left, I noticed snow flurries!

Of course, I had to go outside and stand in the Christmas snow!

Although it was just flurries, it was still fun to see...

There were actually a few big flurries coming down...

I finally got Charles to come out and enjoy the snow with me...

We then loaded up and headed to Batesville. Although we saw a few flurries during the ride, all the snow they got earlier that morning had melted by the time we got there before lunch.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of ham and turkey, deviled eggs, pink salad, corn, butter beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and rolls. After lunch, we decided to wait on dessert and open presents!

I played Santa... and handed out... everyone's presents...

I got to open my presents first! Mama agreed to get me a special present this year, and that was supposed to be my only gift. However, Mama and Jerry actually got me several gifts to open...

Mama told me that my special gift hadn't come in and Mark, our jeweler felt so bad about it that he gave me a little happy to make up for it and that I needed to open that last. I was hoping that Mama was just trying to fool me, but in any case, I still had to decide which present to open first...

I had fun opening my presents...and everyone says that they enjoy watching me open them because I act like a child - I am going to take that as a compliment!!

While we were opening presents, The Christmas Story marathon continued to play...

Mama and Jerry had gotten a couple of presents for me and Charles, and Charles let me open those too.

Once I was finished with all of my other gifts, I was left with my last gift...

I was so excited when I realized that Mama had just been trying to fool me...

My special gift had come in before Christmas!

It's a bracelet set with the diamond Daddy's dad had given Ma in her engagement ring...

I absolutely love it!!

Once I finished ohhhing and ahhhing and giving out hugs, it was time for Mama to open her presents...Then Jerry opened his presents...

Then Charles who always wants to go last opened his presents...

He opened the present he asked for - money - first...

Then he opened his other gifts...

While Charles unwrapped his presents, Mama added a bow to Peanut...
but quickly took it off!

Charles ended with a gift certificate to Country Catfish!

I love all my presents from Mama and Jerry...

Charles said he does too...

After all the presents were opened, we enjoyed a dessert of strawberry shortcake.

Charles and I decided to end Christmas evening by seeing a movie. We decided on Little Fockers which was pretty funny.

We had a wonderful Christmas!!

Christmas Snacks

Monday, December 20th, evening, Mama and Jerry came up to help Charles and me enjoy our Christmas snacks.

I came home from work, and Charles had already straightened up the house, so I was able to just put out the snacks, light The Smell of Christmas candles and turn on the Christmas music. I'm always excited to get to use my 'Tis the Season serving pieces!

I made a Jolly Cheese Ring, Ham Cheese Ball, Oreo Truffles, Layer Bars, Fudge, Christmas Crunch, Sweet Nothings and Peanut Butter Kisses Cookies...

to go along with baked ham and cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls...

and, of course, Christmas punch - delicious!

Mama and Jerry arrived right on time and were so sweet - they brought us a gift to open...
Charles, of course, let me open it, and I just loved it...
Fleur de lis ice tongs, wine coaster and stopper!

Everyone said that they enjoyed the Christmas snacks!

After Mama and Jerry left, Charles and I continued our yearly tradition (carried over from when I was a child) of Christmas snacks and Christmas lights. We drove around Hernando to see the Christmas light displays and saw many lit up houses and a few displays which would rival the Griswold's'!

We had a wonderful evening!!