Mother has always done the cooking but she is getting old now, you know. Sancy and I don't think she can handle all that cooking for everyone now. Sancy cooked Thanksgiving and her oven blew up! She suggested that Jill and I cook Christmas. Well, that's something. Jill and I don't do a lot of cooking. But, I think we measured up just fine! We had tons of food. Jill had the house decorated so pretty!
Presley was the entertainment! She hasn't really bonded with me but it's not because I haven't tried. The saying "Money can't buy love" is so darn true!
Here is Princess Presley playing with a reindeer.
Chris (Daddy) had just helped Presley open a gift. It was a Little People's Nativity Set. She wanted Chris to open it and take all the animals and Little People out. Chris told her "We'll open it when we get home. We don't want all the pieces everywhere." Well, this girl is so smart. She picked up the gift, which was bigger than her, and took it to her Mommy!
Matt with his niece, Presley.
Presley with her Mommy Mandy.
I finally got to meet William's girlfriend, Katie. Will wouldn't bring her around Thanksgiving because I had told him before hand that I had some questions for her. I wanted to "quiz" her to see if she was good enough for my nephew. She passed with flying colors.
Matt flew in from Baltimore about an hour before the party. He had brought Bennett this little watery rubber ball. We let Presley play with it and, of course, she broke it.
Presley loves her Aunt Katie. She grabbed some books and walked over to Katie and turned around and just plopped down in her lap. I would give EVERYTHING if she would do that to me!
Presley opening gifts with help from her Daddy, Chris.
Presley eating goldfish. She had so much fun! Especially climbing the stairs.
Jill is the number one hostess. Here she is cleaning up!
Sancy with her baby, Gabe. I'm thankful for many things but most thankful that we had Christmas at John's. Gabe relieved himself on every piece of furniture. Sancy blamed it on another dog. She said Gabe could smell dog in the house. But, this is her baby. After we finished opening gifts, Sancy looked around, and in a pitiful voice asked "Did no one bring Gabe a present?" Ooops!
Will and Katie. They will both be freshmen at the University of Arkansas next year! Yippee! I can have breakfast with Will at least three mornings a week!
Presley taking a break.
Will and Katie. Katie is so sweet!
Gary, John and Jack trying very hard to watch a football game.
Patrick, Gabe, Josh, Matt and Chris. They looked tired!
Nana getting ready to read "The Christmas Story." We were ready for her to read it and the men asked if we could wait just two minutes. Football....
What is Presley eyeing?
Josh and Katie. They are engaged and they make a perfect couple!
Presley, again...
Grammy, Sancy, and Presley. Presley looks so content in Grammy's lap.
Chris helping Presley open gifts.
Granddad Johnny and Presley
The gang.
We really did have a good time. We tried several new things this year. No Dirty Santa. I like that. Betsy and Jill cooking...turned out just FINE! Gathering at John and Jill's...turned out great. I heard we may have it at my house next year. I sure hope so!!! Mother read The Christmas Story and I loved that.
I learned a few things. Where I lack in cooking I gain in smartness. When I bought groceries for the casseroles I said I would make I bought enough ingredients to triple the recipe. Well, that turned out pretty wise. I burned the first pan of broccoli and rice. Then, when Gary asked me about the cornbread I looked at him and said "That isn't cornbread, it's a corn casserole." It was very thin and did look like cornbread. So, problem solved. I made another pan of corn casserole. The only thing I didn't mess up was the baked beans. No one would have known if I had not told them. The pies came from Sam's. Next year I will take the pies out of the plastic before I leave the house, though.
I was able to "interview" Katie (Will's girlfriend) to make sure she wasn't dating him just for his looks. She knew his favorite colors, and other things. She passed with flying colors.
Well, after much laughter and full stomachs, Gary and I left to drive home. Four hours later we arrive home and I head straight to the bed. Exhausted from so much fun!
Nana reading The Christmas Story
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