Mr. & Mrs.: Christmas 2008

Although Christmas isn't technically over for us (one more to go!), I thought I'd go ahead and get a post up of Christmas so far.

Our Christmas started on December 23, when Steven and I exchanged our gifts. Usually I am opposed to opening gifts any earlier than the 24th, but Steven just gets too excited! Good thing he waited until the 23rd to buy my gift or we would have been having Christmas in November!

Christmas is an odd holiday for us. With our anniversary and Steven's birthday only two weeks before, sometimes there isn't much left to ask for! Some years we both get big stuff at the same time, some years both small stuff at the same time, some years it is a mix-and-match. This year I got my big gifts (iPhone and our Snowball trip) for our anniversary, and Steven got small stuff for his birthday and our anniversary.

For Christmas, he got his big gift. Steven got a paintball gun and accessories. He said he didn't think I had gotten it because I told him I only spent $50. Which was true...somewhat. That's all I spent from our checking account! :-) He didn't know I'd been hiding money from my photography work. He seems pretty happy with it. The pile of wood waiting to be burned in our backyard was yellow by noon the next day.

I got the Wii Music game, which is a lot of fun! We spent Tuesday night playing it. You can play 1+ player games or you can create a 1+ player "jam session." Our first creation was a video of Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star featuring my Mii playing banjo with Steven's Mii playing tuba. It was pretty funny.

We also gave Emerald and Minnie Pearl their gifts. Roush was nowhere to be found at the time. Apparently the girls had irritated him enough that he retreated into hiding all night. Minnie and Emerald enjoyed their stockings full of toys though...for about 24 hours that is. Emerald managed to chew a hole in and eat a portion of all of them by the next afternoon! Good thing they came from the dollar aisle at Target!

Wednesday we spent the day at our house. We cooked breakfast together, watched a movie, tried out Steven's paintball gun, and were just genuinely lazy. Wednesday night, we went to my parents' house to exchange gifts with them and my sister and her husband. We also brought Emerald and Minnie Pearl so my mom and dad could give them more presents. My parents got each of the animals (our 4 dogs and 1 cat and my sisters 2 dogs and cat) a goody bag filled with treats and toys. Each of the dogs got a new tennis ball, and so far Emerald hasn't destroyed them. Steven says Mom is "hinting." While that may be a bit true, my sister and I also agree that she really wants another dog. We give them a year before they have another one, probably another little cocker spaniel.

Emerald and Sage, trying to get into Biscuit's and Poncho's gifts.

Minnie Pearl is such a cuddly dog. She insisted on lying in the floor next to Steven, patting him on the face and snuggling with him.

Thursday morning we got up about 7 and headed to Pine Tree for the annual breakfast feast at Big's (my mom's mom) house. The second photo below is of the table cloth. Big has had this table cloth for years. I'm not sure exactly when the first time it was used was, but I know I've seen signatures from the late 70's on it. Every Christmas, everyone in attendance has to sign and date it.