Good Things in 2011 - December

December 1 - I took some Christmas photos for Brett and Kristen and enjoyed a yummy dinner at her beautifully decorated Christmas table!
December 2 - Dinner at El Fenix...YUM!
December 3 - Exterior illumination in progress...to be completed when it stops raining.
December 4 - Great day baking and delivering goodies to our neighbors.
December 5 - Michael made a wonderful dinner tonight...pork chops with apple sauce, stuffing, and green peas.  Delicious!
December 6 - It doesn't get much better than taco roll-ups from Taco Bueno!
December 7 - The Christmas tree is finally decorated!  (Also, Stephanie made some awesome chocolate chip cookie bowls tonight that we filled with ice cream and melted fudge...delicious!)
December 8 - Fun night at home with my hubby!
December 9 - Pizza Hut Big Dinner Box!

December 10 - Happy birthday David!  Vroom, Vroom!!!
December 11 - We went to the grocery store today, and I love having a full pantry with lots of options!  I'm all about having choices, especially when it comes to food.
December 12 - No meetings at work today = productive day
December 13 - Foundation Group Christmas party
December 14 - Ordered Christmas gifts tonight...fun!
December 15 - Office Christmas party and Christmas dinner with MaMa
December 16 - Lots of Christmas shopping and dinner date with Michael!
December 17 - We went to bed early last night, and slept in late today...what a great combination!  A short nap this afternoon was a great bonus.
December 18 - Christmas with Avery and Allie
December 19 - Finally, some new Bones episodes on Netflix!
December 20 - Wonderful dinner before Foundation Group.  Jeanie, thank you for cooking for all of us!  It was nice to have a home cooked meal somewhere other than at home!
December 21 - Officially finished with Christmas shopping...this is early for me!
December 22 - Christmas date with my favorite husband!
December 23 - Last work day before Christmas...YAY!!!
December 24 - Happy Birthday MaMa!  Merry Christmas Eve!
December 25 - MERRY CHRISTMAS!
December 26 - Got some great deals on after-Christmas sales...now we're ready for Christmas next year.  :o)
December 27 - Christmas with Mike and Paula.
December 28 - Chicken Taco Chili with good friends.  It is fun to catch up after Christmas.  Thanks for cooking Stephanie!

December 29 - I used my new Kitchen Aid mixer and made my first angel food cake.
December 30 - Family dinner at Red Robin followed by an intense game of Liverpool Rummy.  Good thing we all have self-confidence!
December 31 - New Year's Eve Party

The Gift that Keeps on Giving – December (Coffee)

When Michael got home from work tonight, he had birthday shipment #7 of the "gift that keeps on giving."  He received two bags of coffee with this shipment.  One is from Guatemala, and one is from Ethiopia.

Michael is always excited to try new coffee!

Seven down, five to go.

June – Hot Sauce ü
July – Ice Cream ü
August – Beer ü
September – Sirloin ü
October – Pizza ü
November – Peanut Butter & Jelly ü
December – Coffee ü
January – Jerky
February – Tea
March – Salsa
April – Lobster
May – BBQ Sauce

Jackson Christmas - 2011

Mike and Paula came over to our house around 9:30 last night.  It was good to visit with them a little bit before bed.  Of course, Michael also loved getting to guess what his new presents under the tree were.

This morning, we got up and had Christmas morning with them.  We all got great Christmas gifts.  I think Michael was most excited about his SwiMP3, and I was excited to open a Kitchen Aid mixer.  I never expected to get this off my list.

We had breakfast casserole and got ready for the day.  Then we went to see Mission Impossible 4, which we all enjoyed.  After the movie, we headed to Carrolton to pick up Avery and Allie and took them to dinner at Abuelo's while Chris and April had dinner with some friends.  Allie wasn't so sure she wanted anyone to talk to her for a while.  She just wanted me to hold her, and she just sat with her head on my chest.  When the waitress came to the table, she would sit up just enough to turn her head the other way.

Once food arrived, though, she decided to let Grammi feed her a little bit.  Then she was ready to have fun and play with everyone.  Avery ate like a champ and enjoyed coloring on her activity menu.  She even showed me how she can write her name!

After saying goodbyes, Mike and Paula got ready to take the girls home, and Michael and I ran some post-Christmas errands.  We got some good sales on a few decorations that I had been wanting for the dining room and some other items.  I don't even remember what all we got, but I think we made 5 or 6 stops and bought at least one thing at every stop!

Once we got home, we settled in for an episode of Bones and finally got to try Blue Bell's Spiced Pumpkin Pecan ice cream.  It is even more delicious than I had imagined!  It was like Pecan Pralines 'n Cream with pumpkin pie flavor...delicious!

This morning when Michael opened his SwiMP3, I told Paula that I gave him a week before he had them on in the shower.  He couldn't wait to go to the gym to try them out, so he opted to test them in the bathtub tonight.  He was really excited about how well they worked!

Reeves Christmas - 2011

We had a great time celebrating with my family this year.  After lunch with MaMa and the rest of the family on Christmas Eve, we went home for a little while and got to open one present each.

We left a little later and went to the 5:00 Christmas Eve service at Watermark.  It was really good.  We were on the third row for a up close view of everything!

With the busy day we had today, we ended up not pulling through with the Christmas Eve movie tradition.  Instead, we had a great dinner at TGIFriday's and then headed home to open presents.  Good thing we decided to draw names this year.  (I don't think Santa got that memo.)

Rather than pass out all the gifts this year, we just picked one to start.  Whoever it belonged to got to open it and then pick the next one.  It was a fun way to change it up.  We all got lots of great gifts!

Santa did good this year!  I love my new clothes (which were my gift from Mom...I'm glad she drew my name!), make-up brushes, cookbooks, gift cards, hand mixer, and gadgets.

Christmas morning we woke up and had a yummy breakfast casserole before digging into our stockings.

After stockings, we baked some goodies.  We made a cherry pie and some bite-sized chocolate pies.  The chocolate pies were yummy and didn't last long.  We saved the cherry pie and a coconut pie from Christmas Eve for later.

We spent the afternoon watching the Mavs raise their championship banner, resting, and relaxing.  Michael and Aaron decided to hit a few golf balls in the back yard.

We had an amazing Christmas dinner and watched A Christmas Story to end the evening.

Dad had to work today, so while Michael and Aaron played real golf, Mom and I got out to check out a few after Christmas sales and then met the boys for lunch.  I had fun hanging out and spending the day with Mom.  This evening, Mom, Aaron, Michael and I played some intense Skip-Bo while waiting for Dad to get home from work.  After losing, Michael and I will be practicing for next time!

We had a nice family dinner and then packed up to head home and get ready for another Christmas tomorrow!  You can never have too much Christmas!

Happy Birthday MaMa! Merry Christmas Everyone Else!

We had a wonderful family lunch together at Garnet Hill today to celebrate MaMa's 84th birthday.  Happy birthday MaMa!

We had a wonderful lunch that Mom and Dad had catered in from The String Bean.

After lunch, MaMa opened her birthday gifts.  She got lots of great gifts...a new jogging suit, a butterfly calendar, and some pretty new jewelry.

After gifts, it was time for some birthday cake and pie.  We had a yummy ice cream cake and coconut pie.

The rest of us also got great Christmas gifts from her...coffee, watches, pajama pants.  Thank you MaMa!

MaMa really liked the new ring she got for Christmas.

Ginger decided to join us for a little while to say happy birthday...or maybe she just wanted food.

After lunch, we were visiting, and Mom and Danny put on a short concert.  We had a fun time!

It was a great time to visit and celebrate with MaMa.  We love you MaMa!

Christmas Date 2011

This year's Christmas date was pretty low-key, but a lot of fun.  When I got home from work last night, Michael was dressed and ready to go with his Santa Christmas tie.  I changed into a Christmas t-shirt so that I didn't leave him hanging with the Christmas attire.  Before we walked out the door, he made sure to grab his Santa hat before we left.

We had a fun, quick dinner at Steak 'n' Shake before heading to Deerfield to enjoy the Christmas lights.  There were some great lights to look at.  Some houses were very neat, like pretty lit up gingerbread houses.  Others, had TONS of light EVERYWHERE, but were still pretty and tastefully done.  While others...well apparently, the Spirit of Christmas had just thrown up all over the house and yard.  There were a couple of houses that had the lights synchronized to music.  One was pretty messy, while I thought the other was pretty impressive.

When we got home, we each opened one gift.  I got a beautiful red orange red (we can't agree on the color!) scarf from Michael.  I am excited because it is thin.  We don't have too many days in Texas to wear heavy scarfs!  Michael worked hard to make sure that I had a shirt, shoes, and even jewelry to wear with the scarf he chose.  He had matched it to items he knew I already had.  So thoughtful!



Michael received the Mavericks 2011 Championship DVD.  He was pretty excited!

As soon as he had opened it and said thanks, he immediately put it in the Blu Ray player and got his jersey on.  He was so happy to be reliving the season!  We watched about half of it before I had to give up and go to bed.  So far, it has been pretty good.  I'm anxious to watch the second half of it.  Afterall, that should be the best part!

HOLY ST. NICK, BATMAN!!!

Michael checking in...

LESS THAN A WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!

Carry on...

Christmas with Avery and Allie

Since we are on a different Christmas rotation with Michael's parents than his brother's family, we usually get together with them early so that the girls can open their gifts from us.  We had a fun time celebrating last night!

Michael's parents took Chris, April, Avery, and Allie to Disney World for an early Christmas this year, and we had fun looking at their pictures and hearing about their trip.  Avery was very excited to show us all her pictures with the characters and her autograph book.  I think she had a good time!

Michael made tasty homemade pizza for dinner.  As soon as the adults were finished eating, Avery asked about dessert.  So, while Avery showed me more of her Disney World pictures, Michael started getting dessert ready...chocolate fondue.  Yummy!

Avery went in to check on the status of the chocolate and, long story short, came back to the living room to see if I thought they should put pepper in the chocolate.  I said that I didn't think so.  She promptly returned to Uncle Michael and when he asked what Aunt Melissa said, Avery's response was, "She said no, but I think if we just put it in and stir it up, she won't ever know."  Stinker!

Once the chocolate was ready, Avery helped put together all the "dipper" plates.

Snowman down!

I don't know if Allie was more interested in helping or climbing up and down the step stool.  :o)

Dessert was delicious!

Uncle Michael ate his entire snowman dipper in one bite.  Avery wasn't too sure about that decision.

Finally, after being so patient, it was time to open presents!

Avery got a tee ball set, and a Cinderella laptop.

Allie got a "CD" player and a Little People toy boat.  She was pretty excited about her toys until she realized that she couldn't have Avery's toy too.  Then, for a little while, she didn't want anything to do with hers.  She came around again, though.

Michael and I even got a present from the girls.  We got some great pictures that they had taken, and we love them!  Their family has a lot of professional photos taken, and we are excited to have a few of them.

Christmas Celebration at Garnet Hill

Last night, Garnet Hill had their Christmas dinner.  It wasn't the full-blown feast that we had for Thanksgiving, but all the finger foods were delicious!

MaMa had on her new Christmas sweater and Christmas turtle neck.  She was excited to have received some Christmas gifts earlier in the day.  She got a couple of pretty shirts from a secret Santa that got her name from the Garnet Hill angel tree, and Aunt Kathleen gave her a pretty ring.

Mom and I also each received a pretty bracelet from Kathleen.  Thanks Aunt Kathleen!  It was good to see you, and that was so sweet of you.

MaMa had a lot of visitors last night!  Heather brought her a sweet Christmas card that she designed and made special for MaMa.

Dinner was complete with live music by request.  We heard lots of Christmas classics and some other fun songs as well!

Santa was also in attendance, but I didn't get a picture of him.  He seemed to elude the camera.  :o)  Here is one of MaMa with Santa earlier in the day.

I love that MaMa lives in a place that does so many fun things.  Garnet Hill has truly been a blessing for our family.  Merry Christmas!