Christmas in Dixie: Part 3

I am not a fan of the graveyard shift (of course Andrew isn't either). He has to work 7pm to 7am this week and it STINKS. Luckily he is a very heavy sleeper...because our kids are pretty loud. Also, so is the mixer. I made some cookies today. They are yummy and they look so pretty in my latest cake stand (a vintage one that Mom got me for Christmas). Just so you know, I love cake stands. I have three now and could use one...or two more. Maybe three. I just love love them.

Anyhow, let's go back in time to Christmas weekend. I have got to wrap up these Christmas posts or I'll never finish them!!

As you can see, Maddox was mighty happy to share his Christmas with Jude. Ha.

The weekend was jampacked.

First, Christmas morning at Nana and Papa's.

Then, the big Christmas meal at Uncle Tony and Aunt Nancy's.

32 people.

Too much food.

Way too many desserts (but who complains about that? Not me! I indulged in the gingerbread ice cream and ambrosia).

Maddox found some candy and decided he no longer wanted turkey or ham. Only "canny! Canny please!"

He started to get crafty and hide tootsie rolls and mints in his pockets, so I had to hide the candy tray...up HIGH.

 Jude got passed around and loved every minute of it. He is a little flirt.

 After the feast, some of us went to visit my great-grandma Catherine who is in the Karesh Wing at the hospital. Jude got to meet her for the first time! Five generations were in a single room. Wow!

 That evening, we visited Grandma Trues. See, this is why I stay so busy when I come to SC...I have sooo many grandparents to see. I ate more food and we talked about the snow. Yes, the snow! We ALMOST got a white Christmas.

 At 3 am, it started snowing...and it kept coming. I wondered if we would get stranded in SC (secretly hoped we would!) but nope, we didn't. Maddox loved the snow...mainly eating it. It was sad that on the day we left it was a winter wonderland. But, I was a big girl this time. I didn't cry when I told my mom and dad and brother goodbye and I didn't cry as we drove away from the house. I put my giant sunglasses on just in case, but my eyes stayed dry. I was so so so sad, as I always am when we leave, but it didn't get the best of me!

 On to Manning we went. While Camden was covered in snow, Manning had very little. What a difference an hour south makes! At MiMi and Pa's, we had more good food, more presents and more visits! Jude got to meet his Aunt Gayle and Aunt Ann for the first time and he flirted nonstop.

 It was a miracle that we got all the presents in the trunk. Our trunk is abnormally small! There seriously was not an inch of space left!

After more sad goodbyes, we stuffed ourselves in the car and headed to Florida.

The first 2 hours of the trip were miserable.

I wanted to cry. Or cuss. Or both.

The traffic was backed up, it was raining/snowing and the temp was steadily dropping (I was paranoid about black ice), Maddox screamed "french fry! milkshake!" one million times, Jude cried hysterically, and I could barely fit in the backseat between the carseats because of all the stuff that was in our car.

We peed at McDonalds and I nursed in the parking lot (I have gotten pretty good at that haha!). Maddox got his milkshake and fries and was completely content. Jude fell asleep. The traffic cleared.

Hallelujah!

We made it home safely and I was glad to see our little blue house and our BED!

If truth be told, a little part of me actually missed Ft. Walton Beach.



Christmas in Dixie: Part 2

 

The middle of Christmas week was a blur....a blur of fun. The week wrapped up with my dad's birthday. I indulged in the punch and turkey delights. On Christmas Eve, neither of my children could stay asleep. I don't think it had anything to do with Santa Claus. But sleep or no sleep, I was excited and up early.

And...that is for another post.

No more rabbit trails.

I'm off to bed.

Christmas in Dixie: Part 1

Exactly one hour after leaving Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Jude decided to have a blowout. This was on I-10, which is pretty much an endless interstate with an abundance of trees and a not-so-abundance of exits. But all ended well. We tag teamed the trip and survived the fatigue and heavy bursts of rain. I was sooo glad to see the Manning exit.

This trip is over the halfway point and it is just flying by. As always, it is a great feeling to see family and familiar faces! A visit to MiMi and Pa's, Sunday dinner with Trues, antiquing and white mocha time with the girls on my side (like old times...plus I finally got some vintage Christmas gnomes, yes!), stopping by to see my longtime friend and her babies, cousin Abbie's 2nd birthday party, a shopping trip with Andrew to buy our gifts, a shopping trip to Sandhills to finish off my list, and a date with my man, which included something called a Blu Sapphire that about knocked me off my feet. One cockail is all I can handle, and let's be honest...I can't even technically handle that! Phew! It's been busy but a blast.

Tonight is Dad's little birthday get-together and I'm pretty excited for 1) party food...and 2) the gift Jody and I got Dad is perfect. It was Jody's idea and a very, very good one!

I got my Christmas present from Andrew early because I need it now! I dropped my old camera in Jude's tub so...I had to get a new one. It will probably be my favorite present, right up there with my vintage cake plate and vintage gnome village (just because I am weird like that).

Creepy Dishwasher Man

Yesterday, I noticed the inside of our dishwasher was pretty much a pond. I didn't want to mess with it because I have a fear of getting electrocuted. (Imagine my horror when I saw Andrew sticking a FORK INTO A TOASTER one day! How could you live a whole 25 years and not know that you don't stick a fork into a toaster!)
Anyway, back to the dishwasher. We called our landlord and he gave us a phone number for someone named Max. This Max ended up not coming until 7 p.m. (when Andrew is working) and as soon as I opened the door I wanted to shut it. Creep. Creep. Creep.
It is always unsettling when the repair guy asks you, "Is your husband working tonight?"
Thank God my friend Erika was with me. I trust her as my back-up...or as a quick 911 dialer.
The worst part of the whole creepy experience was that my dishwasher was perfectly fine. My best explanation is that Maddox turned it on and then stopped it mid-cycle. I never heard it running, but I could have been distracted, so who knows.
Oh well, everything is fine and no one got kidnapped.
Today was quiet...and cold. Jude wore his Christmas red turtleneck.

Maddox is in that "helper" stage and "helped" me make peanut butter cookies (no worries, the spatula did not go back into the dough and nope, Mom, it didn't have raw eggs in it.)

Well that's all the excitement I have for today.

It's going to be a busy week - meeting new friends, a playdate, a Christmas party and then going to good ole Carolina this weekend.

Merry Christmas!!!

Whipped Cream Monday Morning...and Weekend Recap

My latest indulgence is topping my morning coffee with whipped cream. Maddox loves it as much as I do.

He skims off the cream with his spoons and says, "Mmmhmm."

It is definitely the best way to start off a Monday morning.

This past weekend was a good one. Maddox is making more friends which makes me happy. Now next year at his birthday party (if we are still in Florida...you never know!), we can have lots of kids over. This is Hannah, who is three. She's the girl next door. On Friday they went to see Santa together. (However, Maddox chose to see him only at a distance....)

Then they rode a racecar together. Good bonding time. Except...Maddox had a flashback at the end of the ride to his traumatic racecar experience at the fair. It was tooo funny. Hannah tried to console him...

 ...but only Chick-Fil-A french fries could do the trick.

The best part about the weekend, as always, is that Andrew is home all day and all night! That means lots of cuddle time with the boys, which they obviously love.

Let's not forget about little Jude. He is making friends too. This is Ava. They are betrothed...they just don't know it yet.

He borrowed Ava's Santa hat and looked mighty cute in it, right? My wee Santa!

While Jude slept most of Saturday, Maddox enjoyed the company of Peyton (who just turned 2), ate cake and pizza, played with new toys, and stole Peyton's phone. Yes, he did. He loved her phone so much he slipped it in his goody bag and pulled it out when we got home. He now sleeps with it. I keep telling him, "You are going to give that back to Peyton on Thursday." And he wails, "Nooooo!" Ah, childhood thievery.

We gave Maddox his present from NaNa and Papa early, since we are going to be in SC for Christmas anyway. He got a "racecar" and a gas pump to go with it. He drives it all around the house (and of course into Jude's bouncer) and looks for it first thing in the morning. I hear this, exactly: "Mommy, racecar! Drive racecar! Apple juice! Cheesetoast!"

Jude just kind of chills out all the time. He observes Maddox with curiosity. He smiles...A LOT.

He is like a quiet old soul who chews his hand and thinks of philosophical things. Then, out of nowhere, he will let out a wild squeal and go crazy, kicking those chubby legs and grinning.

I can't imagine life any other way.