What do you mean "Christmas is over"!?

I know.  I can hardly believe it myself!  After all that cleaning, decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping, traveling, unwrapping, eating, cleaning the kitchen, eating, cleaning the kitchen, etc.  It's over?!?!

This is the tree we have put up for the past three Christmases.

 

 This is a new tree we put up this year for my hubby [so we could use all the ornaments!].

In an effort to relive the past few days, let me play out the events in my blog . . . along with a few pictures.  I worked until noon Wednesday the 23rd then hit the road to pick up Mom in Tuscaloosa.  We arrived back in Decatur a little after 5 p.m. and settled in for our annual holiday visit.  Thursday, Christmas Eve, we just enjoyed being together, finishing some last minute shopping, and baking the last cake.  Christmas morning we exchanged gifts [Mom, Dan, Daniel and I] and then packed up to visit the munchkins and see what Santa had brought. 

The guys got warm clothing.

We spent the afternoon with Dana, Steve and the kids. We had a delicious dinner - especially the apple pie!  Then we capped off the visit by playing games.

 

 

 

 

 We eventually headed home to Decatur to prepare for the munchkins coming to our house the next day.  As is our custom, Dana, Steve and the kids come to our house the day after Christmas when we exchange gifts to each other.  I stayed up late and got up early to get all the cooking done.  We had turkey, ham, dressing, macaroni, sweet potato cassarole, creamed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and rolls. Yes, of course we had desserts.  There was fresh apple cake, coconut cake, brown sugar squares, Christmas cookies, and brownies.  We had a wonderful time!

Dana gave Mom lots of new pictures to show back in Tuscaloosa.

The gifts which had been carefully chosen and lovingly given were received with great excitement!  I took Mom home Sunday afternoon, arrived back home about 5:15, and collapsed on the couch for the rest of the night.  I can't resist showing you one of the gifts we received.  Using our trusty hammer and three nails . . .

Now isn't that the best looking wall that you ever saw?!?!?