Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

I had these pictures in somewhat of a chronological order but accidentally backspaced these first two out. So now they've ended up at the top of this post. These were taken Christmas morning. Harrison got the Nintendo Wii, which is a lot of fun to play....and very tiring! Especially the boxing.


Hannah asked for a pink camera. Bruce found this pink digi Polaroid and digi picture frame. She's probably taken a thousand pictures already. I'm sure she'll be uploading some pics to her blog soon. I'll let you know if she does.


Our Christmas Eve started with my sweetie pie, Hannah, sick with the stomach virus. She only got sick a couple of times but stayed in bed the entire day. I had decided the boys and I would help mom set up at her house for our family gathering, stay for a little while and then I would go home to Hannah and Bruce could go for the rest of the festivities. But mom and dad had already had the virus at their home and assured me that Hannah would be welcome if she felt like coming. Of course, by 6:00 PM, she did indeed feel like going but did not partake of the Christmas buffet that was set before her. She did, however, enjoy her Grandma's punch.

This year we had some very special guests join us for our family time. Brother RJ and Mrs. Liz, Michaela, Sam, and Ashlyn. This, of course, is our Youth Pastor and his family. We gathered in the living room to read the Christmas story from Luke 2 before the gift frenzy began.


Daddy liked the havoc heli I bought Bruce for his Birthday. So much, he wanted one for himself. So that was one of the gifts we bought him. What will we do with these grown boys and their toys?



Bruce got this battery charger. He was happy with that.


Daddy and mom were given two tickets to the Living Gallery at Bob Jones in the spring. As you can see by this hilarious look on her face she was thrilled and surprised.

Justin and Hannah were thrilled with more gift cards.

Harrison was happy with some binoculars as he tried to zoom in on the people sitting on the couch....four feet away from him.

We play a game at our family time where daddy gives away a total of fifty dollars. In between unwrapping presents, we'll stop for daddy to draw names of the adults from a box. The first two names drawn go back in the hat. The third name drawn wins a money prize. The money is given in increments of five, ten, fifteen, and twenty dollars. Bruce won the first prize of five dollars.

Daddy won ten dollars. He was so happy because he never wins any of his money back. lol

Mrs. Liz won the fifteen dollar prize.

And to be honest, I can't remember who won the twenty. I think it was mom. But I forgot to get a picture. And so the children aren't left out, each child there gets a five dollar gift card to McDonald's.

Michaela was happy to see she got a princess tea set from Maw Maw and Paw Paw Birt.

Brother RJ told daddy he wanted a screwdriver for Christmas so daddy bought him this Black and Decker deluxe tool kit. I'm pretty sure he was happy with it.

Sam was so good as he waited patiently for a present to open. What a sweetheart!

Jessica liked the necklace we got her.

And Ashylyn loved hearing the sounds coming from her new Leap Frog toy.

Mrs. Liz was surprised to open a new crockpot from mom and dad. She wanted one really bad and got it. I wonder what she'll fix in it!!!!!

Brother RJ wasn't the only one opening a tool kit. Harrison got one too and was so happy with it. He came home and started hunting things to fix or reasons to use his tools. He has big plans too, to help his dad the next time Bruce is working on something.

The little ones enjoyed attacking Justin...even Ashlyn got in on the fun.

As time was winding down, Maw Maw enjoyed kissing the tired babies.

It was a fun evening with lots of laughter and we had a wonderful time, although we missed my niece, who was visiting her boyfriend in Florida and my brother John who was taking care of his wife, Jenny. She had surgery a few days ago and wasn't able to make it. Lord willing, we'll be together next year. He did manage to stop in for just a few minutes earlier in the evening and he did make ten or so phone calls during the festivity. HA!

Christmas morning, Harrison woke us all up when he ran into the corner of Justin's dresser racing to the Christmas tree. To be perfectly honest, I could have slept at least another three hours, but Harrison was up and ready for the rest of us to be up too. LOL

I bought Bruce the Sansa e2000.

And he bought me the ipod classic. Sorry about the picture....not very flattering, I know....but again, I could have slept a few more hours. Besides, no one ever takes pictures of me because I'm always the one with the camera. lol

Justin was thrilled with his XBOX 360.

When we finished opening presents at home, we got ready for Bruce's family gathering at his mom's house.

These are my nieces, Brittney(L) and Brandy(R). Aren't they pretty?

The Havoc Helis were such a big hit with the men/boys in my family, Grandmother just had to buy more. So Harrison and Carl got one too.

Bryan and Barry got some new work out clothes.

And we all surprised Marie with a new freezer. She needed one and was happy to get it.


Mackenzie is a very loving child and loves her Great-Grandmother. Nikki, Mac's mom, sat on Marie's lap and Marie said, "My Nikki." Mackenzie's eyebrows went down and she said, very matter of factly, "MY MAMAW!" Aww, what a sweetie.

We missed having Bruce's baby brother, Mitch, with us this year. Along with his wife, Angie, and their boys Jonathan and Jackson. Maybe we'll see them soon. I was glad to know that Mitch made it home for Christmas. He was stationed on a ship way out in the ocean. I still don't know if I'm allowed to give that info away, so I'm keeping it to myself. Anyway, we missed their family.

With all the food that surrounds us during the holidays, it can get quite depressing when you're feeling bloated and fat. So Bruce and Barry shook hands on losing fifty pounds by this time next year. As I recall, they made a similar agreement this time last year to lose twenty pounds and Bryan was in on it. I didn't see Bryan anywhere around when this agreement took place! The paper with their weight on it from last year is still gracing the side of Marie's refrigerator. Can they do it, folks? Yeah, I think they can. Will they do it? Stay tuned for my 2008 Christmas post.