I hosted my annual "spode" dinner the Sunday before Christmas. I can hardly believe this is the 7th year we have had it. For those of you thinking; "What the heck is a spode dinner?". It's a term I coined after collecting much of the Christmas Tree pattern of spode china. I have accumulated quite a bit over the past seven years and usually cannot use it all for this dinner...the only time the entire year we get out these plates and eat on them. This year the kids all wore matching outfits which was a cute addition. I absolutely love hosting this annual dinner and it always gets me into the holiday spirit.
The kids table:
Cousins:
The girls:
The Coker girls:
I just thought this one came out so funny:
Christmas Eve we headed to McKinney to spend the day with Troy's family. Ellie got her very own anywhere chair with her name on it (so she doesn't have to fight Rett for his anymore) and Rett got a super-cool remote control car among other things. I was so excited to open an awesome new Chi hair dryer. Since then I have used it and it dries my long, thick-ish hair in about 4 minutes!
Ellie in her new chair
Wish this was on video...but she's singing and dancing:
Troy trying to beat a level of Angry Birds...he and Rett are addicted!
Christmas Morning the kids woke up right around 7am. I quickly poured myself a cup of coffee and got ready to savor every minute of the kids excitement and awe....to me, this is my favorite part of Christmas.
Who ever thought bubble gum flavored toothpaste would make him so happy?
Christmas Day we headed to my parents house for brunch and gifts and merriment. :) We ate our tradtional brunch (that we only eat once a year, on Christmas) of Sausage Egg Caserole, Danish, Grapefruit, Crossiants, and *new this year* coffee cake. I don't know if everyone likes their mom's cooking because it's their mom that makes it...or if my mom is just a really good cook, but every year the food tastes the best it ever has and this year was no different. It seems as you get older you seem to appreciate home-cooked food prepared with love. My mom made dinner every night when I was growing up and so many nights I turned up my nose because I didn't like it. Oh how I yearn for those meals now that I don't get them every night. Whoops, got off topic. Back to Christmas. Rett got a new big-wheel (one of my favorite toys as a kid) and Ellie got a "scoot n zoom"...a new toy from Radio Flyer. Rocket also made Rett a new airplane (a piper cub model) to add to his collection, and mom gave Ellie a beautiful heirloom baby bracelet from James Avery (which she has worn since "she" opened it). Troy and I got a brand new set of cuisinart pots and pans (our hodge-podge collection was in pretty shabby shape)...in addition to an overwhelming amount of other gifts.
Can you tell I like tablesetting's?
We are very, very blessed!!!
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