Peaceful Christmas

Perhaps it was a coincidence that this year might have been the last opportunity for a truly restful and peaceful Christmas holiday, or perhaps it was because we were completely done shopping and wrapping before we made it to Nashville.  Call it what you will, what a relaxing Christmas holiday!!!!!  We embraced it as we figure that Christmases will take on a whole new meaning in the upcoming years.

I took a half day on Wednesday, and Keith and I shopped together, wrapped together on Wednesday night, and we even had time for a movie rental - Eat, Pray, Love, which I don't recommend.

Thursday morning we packed up the car and did what we have done best lately - TRAVEL.  We headed west for Christmas celebrations with both of our families.

We enjoyed lazy mornings with Keith's parents, filled with lots of chitter chatter, laughter, and coffee; breakfast for dinner - YUMMO - and gift exchange with the Hollister gang; a boisterous Burns celebration, which is always FUN; a beautiful Christmas Eve service at Christ Church, serenaded by their most wonderful choir; and a visit with Dave and Kelly until the WEEEEEE hours of the morning - Dave, you can take our boy hunting (and Keith) any time, but what oh what will you do with a girl?  Kelly, thanks for the sausage balls...they are truly the best!!!!!  I LOVE them and had thought about them for months.  You think I'm kidding, I'm not!!

Then it was Trailov Christmas-time.  We shared a great Christmas lunch with Grandmother and headed south to Spring Hill.  Now, as much as I loved waking up to snow on Christmas Day, I will never, and I ask you all to never ask for a white Christmas again. That dog-gone snow prevented Michael and his sweet family from making the trip Sunday evening to us, BUT we were together in spirit.  The four of us exchanged gifts, and Baby Hollister even got his/her first Christmas gift - a GIANT doggy jelly-cat.  Seriously, this thing will be bigger than the child until it is about 2.  Hahah.  Thanks, Mom!!!!  Mom and I cooked all day Sunday, making the annual Christmas tradition of Seafood Newburg - YUMMMM - and Gingerbread Lemon-Curd Parfait, which I hope becomes a new tradition because that is some amazing stuff!  Then it was time to kick back and watch a little Christmas Vacation.  I don't care how many times you see that movie, it is ALWAYS funny.

Then the fun ended as we hopped back in the car, and my sweet husband chauffeured my sleepy tale to Johnson City to get back to the grind.

So, you see, it was a relaxing Christmas; however, despite all the down-time and relaxation we enjoyed, I would trade it any day for the Christmases that are to come with little Baby Holli running around and making it so much more exciting and bringing even more of the Christmas Spirit into our lives.  Sweet, Baby Holli, you have so much to look forward to!!!  More importantly, WE have so much to look forward to.