Casual Christmas

• Flu
• Flight Home
• "What are YOU doing?!?"
• S'mores 
• TVD marathon
• Roasted more mallows
• Family - I supervised decorating of the tree
• Ruby's with Kayla
• "I like the way your jeans fit"
• Stuck in a snow drift/ditch
• Christmas Eve with Dad - "No, this is not my baby."
• "Growling's cool"
• Casual Christmas
•  Hallmark Christmas movies with Grandma - I swear the good ones only come on when I'm at her house.
• Couch surfing
• wild night of cutthroat Uno with Car & Brant
• Donut Stop
• Lunch with Lindsey & Orion
• Justin Bieber's Believe
• Baptized
• Back to Houston

Hot Chocolate Trafficking

My grandma makes the best hot chocolate...ever. No really, EVER!

When I went home for Christmas (yeah, I know, I thought I had already shared this...but I hadn't) she shared the recipe and mixed up a batch. We filled up two gallon zip lock bags so I could stuff them into my carry-on (I didn't check anything this trip) and get it back to Houston.

Grandma said it looked a little suspicious, so I put the recipe face up in one of the bags so they would see it was hot chocolate. Yeah, because that's convincing? I also tried to reassure her by the fact that I look way to young and innocent to do something like that. But then I realized that may be exactly why I would be a smuggler, because no one would expect it. Crap.

I get to the airport, and as my bag is going through the security scanner, I notice that they stop the conveyor and the security guy calls someone else over there to take a look. I know it's my bag because I'm the only one in the area, so I volunteer the info about how it's hot chocolate mix.

They basically look at me like I'm crazy, which I obviously must be if I'm smuggling hot coco across Texas.

They moved my bag to another area so they could open it up and have a look at the goods. I wish I had a picture, because yeah, my bag did look a little suspicious. But surely people are more sneaky when trying to transport drugs, like they probably don't put it in their carry on. I told him that if he flipped it over he would see the recipe and it's so delicious that I'm trying to take it home. He sniffs the bag and sends it back through the scanner. While he's over there I over hear him tell his security friend that it does smell pretty good and he should write down the recipe. haha.

In the end I made it home with my stash hot chocolate and basically enjoyed it at least twice a day for the next month.

Want the recipe? Check it out here.

Holiday Photo Roundup

Today you will be spared my random ramblings, and instead just get to enjoy some photo memories.

Lucky You!

Me and Marsh 

I swear he loves me.

Papa and Santa

Jarret & JoJo - fellow members of the kids table.

Marsh showing why we belong at the kids table.

Marsh & Papa

Gma cheesin for the camera.

Marsh trying to block Papa from jackin his cash.

Looks like he wasn't successful.

Wayyy too excited for my DS shirt.

But can you blame me? They are the bomb.com

Me & Kara

And Again.

Donut Stop High School Reunion!

Kara, Kayla, Tiff, & Me

Kara & Me

CHS Reunion Dinner - Kara, Shep, Me, & Kayla

12.24&25.11

For the first time in 5 years I made it to my Dad's Christmas Eve. It felt good to be back!

Marsh and I showed up kinda late and almost everyone over there was pretty tipsy. Marshall asked me if I thought that everyone was drunk, and I said yes. Throughout the night if someone did something funny, Marshall and I would look at each other and just say "Yes."

Christmas Day

Was good.

Try and eat the desserts at your own risk!

Marsh and I shared the "kid" table with Joanna and Jarret. It's been great getting to hang out with Jo so much these past few months.

Best quotes from Marsh:

• "I wish I had opened my gifts faster so I didn't look so spoiled."
• "It's awkward because everyone knows I was on the naughty list."
• When he got his iHome - "Listen to what Jessica and I were dancing to." As he precedes to play Booty Wurk.

My Favorite Gifts:

• a few Harry Potter DVDs from Santa Mom. So happy my collection is almost complete! I'm glad she took my gift request serious this year. Literally brought a tear to my eye. Yes, I'm pretty serious about my HP.
• "Daddy's Girl" picture frame with picture (that we took the day before) from my dad. It was just so sweet that he came up with that idea all on his own. I was wondering why he was being extra crazy about the pictures we were taking when I was there the night before.

Marsh - "It looks like someone was adopted." Thanks Marshall, but no.

• Rubber stamp from Jes (Future Primitive Rubber Stamp Co.)

Last Christmas, I Gave You My Heart

Just Kidding. It's not that serious.

But seriously...last Christmas...I'm the worst with doing holiday posts. I noticed that I started one last year, but didn't finish. So let me share a bit.

Last Christmast was one of the best we've had in the last few years.

Andrew was there not just physically but mentally too. This was a huge change given the way the last few years had been. It was so nice to see him happy and functioning.

Andrew & Mikey 2010

I spent two days in the kitchen with Grandma baking way too many delicious treats. We had the best time! We made everything from puppy chow, iced sugar cookies, m&m cookies, chex mix, cinnamon candy, holly, and more that I can't even remember.

I love baking, so adding in grandma made it even better. Mikey (Andrew's gf at the time) even helped with the m&m cookies. I really liked that because we got to chat for a bit, and since I live far I hadn't had the chance to really get to know her.

Grandma

I still sat at the kids table. At this point it's not just circumstantial, but also by choice because I don't want to leave Marsh there to sit with anyone else. Andrew and Mikey tried to sit there with D & I, but I insisted that we share the table with Marshall and Garrett so they didn't have to sit at the bar together and alone. I didn't realize that Andrew was trying to sit with D & I because he actually wanted to spend time with me. I felt so stupid when Mom pointed that out after dinner. I just wasn't used to him being so -as bad as it sounds- normal.

Papa

We did spend some time together. I think he was working as the delivery guy for the pizza place at the time and he told me this funny story about how he showed up with the lady's pizza and it was late so she was complaining about how they are always late and she should just order from Pizza Hut. Andrew's response? "Then do it." That's exactly what I was thinking, but I would never tell a customer that. I was always more of the rule follower anyway. I also remember him showing me his car. At that time it was an infinity G35 (or something). He was so proud because he was making his own payments. I was pretty shocked because responsibility wasn't usually his strong suit.

I usually help grandma hand out the gifts, but I kinda had a switch up this year. I'm used to Marshall being the only "M" name, so when I saw an odd shaped gift, I didn't even read the name once I saw the "M." Yeah, from the shape I totally should have been able to realize it was a bone for Monster, Andrew's new dog. You should have seen Andrew and Marshall's face when Marsh opened the bone. I worked quick to grab the gift back and Andrew and I went to Grandma's room to rewrap it. After all of the human gifts were done, we let Monster in to open his. He didn't quite get it at first so Andrew had to help, but he loved it once we got the paper out of the way.

Marshall and the bone

quick wrap job

Monster and his present

It was a great last Christmas with Andrew. This year is hard having that vacant spot in our family, but I know we'll make it through. I can't even imagine what it's like for him to be having his first Christmas in Heaven. It's got to be incredible up there. I miss him so much but I'm not going to let that get in the way of continuing to make memories with Marshall and the rest of the family.

Cuteness of Christmas Past

OMG! Best present ever!

Because I effing love sheets!