The final Christmas as a couple

As I sit to reminisce on the wonderful festivities that filled our Christmas season, I continue to procrastinate on the inevitable packing of the bag for that ever fateful day. Doc said to go ahead and have the bags packed by the first of the year.... 2 days left til then, and so far I've put a stick of deoderant in my cosmetic bag. I think I'm timid to pack because the realization that it is literally right around the corner is just too much for me to handle!

Anyway, back to Christmas.

Kevin and I attended Christmas Eve service with my grandparents. I wish we attended church more often, but I think it's so important to remember why we celebrate Christmas. It's not about the tree, the decorations, the gifts. Especially with the madness that has become holiday shopping, I think too many people forget to stop and reflect on why we are able to have such a wonderful holiday to celebrate.

Once we got home, Kevin started on the smoked ham for Christmas breakfast, all while It's a Wonderful Life played on the TV and I sipped on Warm Vanilla Milk.  This baby was basted for the first several hours and then cooked slowly in the smoker overnight.  It was delicious, and the perfect complement to a full Christmas morning spread. I didn't get a picture of it beautifully plated, but here it is getting its flavor in the cooker:

I reiterated time and time again that this would likely be the last Christmas that Kevin and I get to "sleep in" for another 20 years. Well, magically with no alarm clocks we were still up well before 7am. I believe it was Kevin who set this off because of his masterpiece in the smoker. So much for sleeping in.

Christmas breakfast at my grandparents was wonderful as always (though this is the first year we've done breakfast instead of lunch).  The family gathers to open up our stockings filled with silly gifts before sitting down to eat.  Strangely, this year I had no problem being the first in line to get food ;-).

My grandparents :-)

G'pa breaking it down with the dancing hat

After breakfast, my immediate family went back to open up gifts at my parents' house.  Baby P isn't even here yet and she already had several gifts under the tree with her "name" on it (name being Baby-to-be, that is).

After taking a much needed nap at home, we headed back to my parents' house for Dad's famous homemade pizza. Everyone looks forward to his pizza every year.  It never fails to please the crowd.  I unfortunately am a dum-dum and did not get any pictures of his pizza. But, here's a few pics from before din-din.

Sister-in-law, Momma, & Gramma

My brother Brett

You know this guy.

It was a wonderful holiday, but I was EXHAUSTED! We missed my oldest brother, his wife, and their 2 kids, but were able to celebrate Christmas with them when they came the weekend following Christmas. Being wiped out from the celebrating, I didn't get any pics over the weekend either :-(. But watching my niece and nephew open gifts was such a treat, their faces were priceless. It was a wonderful several days celebrating the season!