Christmas Vacation

The magic of Christmas was definitely swirling around us following our engagement. I was beyond excited the parents were coming in town. Dad and Brenda got here Sunday and we headed to the Gray household for their night of fun on Christmas Eve. They host a LOT of family so we feel like little chipmunks in the midst of a zoo! It's so enjoyable to just chat and hang out. The best part was the little boy that always reads the Christmas story - he did it by memory this year! That was just too cool.

This is when they were announcing our engagement. I love our faces here.

Telling the Christmas story

Dianne, Jim, Granny Merle, Justin, Nick, Julie

 We opened gifts there then came to my apartment to open our gifts. I always say we give a lot of gifts... this year Brenda says I got 34. Sounds crazy, but one of those gifts might be coffee and the other might be a t-shirt. It's just fun to open. My biggest gifts were a Keurig and a little sewing machine. Love it! Nick's mom made me this adorable pillow with my family and his family when we were around the same age. Very special. Nick got me a neat video recorder so I don't have to use my phone! We had such a good time listening to music and opening gifts. Oh, did I mention, I got sick that weekend so I sort of felt a little out of it. I tried to not let it stop me. Chewy, the parents new doggy came, and she is precious.

Nick and I had Christmas morning with his family and Granny. We opened gifts and watched a part of "The Christmas Story" then headed to Oklahoma. It began to sleet and snow on us about halfway there so we had to drive about 45 mph. Dad and Brenda had gone ahead. We had a blast in Oklahoma with my family. It was snowy so we played with my nieces in the snow a little watched my stepbrother, Steven burn everything in this fire pit because they hadn't picked up the trash. He had too much fun! Christmas night Ashley's family came and we all had a big meal and enjoyed life. I slept with Rylie and Nick slept in a bed on the floor. Well, I couldn't find Rylie so I turned on the lights and she was asleep on the actual floor. I picked her up and asked her what she was doing, She says, "You were taking my covers so I went to sleep on the other bed, but Nick was on there, so I just slept on the floor." Pretty good logic there. We had a really nice relaxing time with the family. My favorite place to be.

You can see the snowball Rylie is throwing at me in the air. How mean.

Dad's New Ipad

Jumping on the trampoline in snow

Chewy

 

Saige & Rylie

Steven & Ashley

Tea Party
 

We all headed back and hit some wedding venues. My Dad and Brenda were so kind to go look with me. They truly go above and beyond. Nick is very involved as well. I don't want to get into all that because this is about Christmas! I was really sad when Dad and Brenda left. We had such a great time. It's so nice just to be with family away from your own little world for a while. Of course, you know you have to always go back to the real world, but it's such a vacation in a sense. Watching Nick play tea parties with the girls and learning to sew from Brenda was such a highlight. Jesus is the reason for the season, and as I lay my head down after everyone had gone home and I was just me again, I talked to Him a long time telling him how thankful I am for such amazing blessings.