MERRY AFTER-CHRISTMAS!!!!!

WOWWWWWWWW....what a whirlwind!  Even the dogs are worn out! ha!  As I wrote in yesterday's entry, we had a blast and thanks to my having TWO days off in a row, will continue to have a blast today!

I want to tell ya'll too that we took SO many pictures...I mean TONS that I will put a few here to guide you thru our week, but the remainder, which is from my house, Mike's parents house and my Aunt Aurelia's, will be here....

http://picasaweb.google.com/JoanBuddy/ChristmasMorning#

The pics Dad took isn't on his web album yet, so we have to wait!

As I had put earlier, Mikes family had their annual "Two days before Christmas" party.  As Courtney said, either their den is getting smaller or we're all getting bigger!  There were so many of us there, I didn't even count! and SOOOOO much FOOD! 

Let me add here that Ashley had emailed me that day to tell me SHE WAS CALLING AT 7PM AND WANTED TO TALK TO EVERYONE and I had better answer my phone! ha! So, after getting to Mike, Court and Britt from my work, she finally called!

It was a ship-to-shore call, so it was a little weird, but fanTASTIC!  She's doing great and misses everyone and it was beyond the best to hear her voice.  Anyways, after her call and us all eating, ALL of us went into the den to watch, "The Opening of the Presents"...oh...and we played some games too!  Ethan and Jeremiah had a blast with all that!

So, after all that was over, it was back to work the next day while Mike frantically shopped...take a wild guess HOW many times he called me at work to ask questions like..."So, if the tag says, "PXL" does that mean it's a Peacoat?"  BAH-HAAAAAAA...and..."Joan, where is this MERLAY NORMAN store at, it ain't one of those GURLY stores is it, because I ain't going in it?"  HAAAAAAAAAA and, "Joan, I can't find the pink cow purse Britt wants, but I found this cool SNAKE SKIN purse!"  GEEeeeze....this went on pretty much all day and I was scared to see just what he had bought. He ended up doing good!

Christmas eve we were up till 1am wrapping presents for the girls.  They would NOT go to bed and what should have been done a week ago was having to be squeezed in a few short hours before Christmas.  So, we made them go to bed...and the "Wrapping of the Presents" began...I will add here that Mike's parents across the street wrapped until 3:30am!

Christmas morning, as I was feeding the dogs, I hear Courtney banging on the hall door wanting to come in the den to see what Santa brought her.  YES, she's 17 and still believes and is like a 6 year old when it comes to Christmas...she LOVES CHRISTMAS!!! So, by this time Britt was up too hollering to come in the den, so Mike had to get up and come in the den before they did, which then made all 4 dogs go crazy barking...GEEEeeeeze. Did I mention that I had already taken my Excedrin Migraine as I was feeding the dogs BEFORE they got up? I put those pics on the posting below this one already.

So, after ALLLLLLLlllll that, we run across the street because Grandma Terry had made sausage bisquits and we had to open presents there too and needed to hurry so we could leave for Aunt Aurelia's house by 12:30pm! 

We recorded a video for Ashley: Note to Ashley: Turn your volume up on your computer.

check back in a few minutes for the video....it's uploading

Then, we opened presents there!   PJ was there too...with Harley...the daschound or however you spell it...I spell it T-R-O-U-B-L-E!  ha! The Twins opened presents together...notice how clean the bottoms of Courtney's feet are?!  Geeeeze...

Anyways, while we were opening presents, Sonny called and talked to his Mama!which didn't slow Deanna down any!  Even Boomer got in on opening presents! Mikes Dad got this hat...After we all opened presents, I looked around for the boys and found them...Court modeled her favorite present she got I think of all time a North Face Bookbag...Bookbags...a daughter after my own heart...did I mention before that I caught her reading!  YUP!  Oh...she denies it, but I did...Mike did too.  HA !!   Mike's mother modeled her new "Lounge Wear" HAAAAAAAAAAA! NO, I don't wanna borrow it!  heeee!!!

So, we left there at 12:30pm and drove to Aunt Aurelia's house where ya'll wouldn't beLIEVE the food they had there.  OH LAWDY...My herd was just taking it all in....There was family all over eating and talking! Aunt Aurelia sure was wonderful to have this at her house again!  

 George CLOONEY!  HAAA...no, just my Uncle Dale modeling the lastest in warm weather gear!  hee  

 Tom Selleck??  NOOoooo,..just my Uncle David playing with his fingers....hee Brad Pitt and his daughters???? NOooooooooooooo...just Mike and 2/3s of his children. An "American Girl" model?  Noooooo...could be tho..it's Lauren...now let me say that my sense of fashion has genetically emblazened itself to my neice.  Her sweater is the EXACT same shade as her rubber bands on her braces...AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN PLAN IT THAT WAY!  OMGEEEEEE!  See!  We McCauley's can't HELP but be incredible!  I try telling my girls that all the time, but THEY roll their eyes.  Anyways, Lauren...my youngest "Viewer of the Blog" AND might I add, brings the total of my viewership up to 9, you look beautiful!  

 SPEAKING of beauty...could that be Cindy Crawford on the far left?!  NOOOOOOOOooooo....you guys are so silly!  That's ME with Britt and my gorgeous Aunt Aurelia!  heeeee

 What?  Could that be my BLACKBERRy Curve 8330 in PINK???  WHY YES, IT IS!  haaaaaaaaaaaa!  HOW'D HE GET IN HERE???!!!! Oh well, WHO CARES!  (grin)

We had a great Christmas despite Ashley not being here and can't wait till she comes home in 3 weeks WHEN WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS PARTY!  

Hope everyone else had a great Christmas and have an even better next year!!! We also want to thank everyone for all our presents, food and bathroom!  HA!!!  Ya'll all made our Christmas what it's supposed to be about.

Joan and Herd

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

We hope everyone is having a MERRY CHRISTMAS wherever you are!  It's still Christmas morning here, but I wanted to update this blog before Ashley checks it out on her boat.

First...was Deanna's birthday a few days ago...

HOW"D that pic get in here?!?HAAA

The party went well and we had a great time!

Then, after some HECTIC days I won't even get to in this email, came Christmas!  Well, the first of our TWO Christmas's we're having.  We're having the 2nd Christmas when Ashley comes home, and then it will seem....right.  Our house, with decorations STILL IN THE BOXES, will be decorated then and we won't be SO rushed then...and Ashley will be home!

YES, Boomer has his own stocking that someone from my work made him last year...what a baby!He was the first to get his bone...Cujo is saying on the jacket we got Britt...it now has Cujo fur on it!  haCourt couldn't wait till we got situated to open presents! Britt did! AND, for my last pic of this posting... notice how sleepy she looks!  It was after 7am tho...we just didn't get to bed till late.

Well, let me say that I took pics at the Arnold's house for their annual Christmas party, which is on Britt's camera across the street.  I'll get it back today and post them along with pics from opening presents at Mike's parents house and also at my Aunt Aurelia's house.  I'm VERY ashamed to say that I haven't been there for a Christmas in years and I was determined to go this year.  So, I...along with Court's camera (mine are all tore up now) and Dad, with his "cheat" camera (his camera will take pics, focus, auto everything then wash dishes...all HE has to do is make sure the lens cap is off and push a button...MY camera's took skill and above average talent to take the exceptional photo's I am known for) will be there to capture the moments.

NOTE TO ASHLEY:  I will be putting many more pics on here tonight of the days activities. So, check back from whatever time zone you're in around 9pm Conestee time!  haaaa...we love and miss you and canNOT wait till you come back home-

XOXXOX and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

All of US