Christmas with Jackie and The Gang

Monday night the Christmas festivities continued as I had Christmas with Jackie and her family. This has been an annual tradition since we were wee lasses and it is always a time that I look forward to each year. Jackie was kind enough to stop by and let The Tide out during the day because I had a late conference call and left straight from work to head over to Tim and Jan's. Jan prepared a dinner of Crock Pot Chicken, stir fry veggies and salad. Jan always makes the best salads! The food was delicious, as expected, but the company was even better. Jan has one of the slow cookers that can be programmed to begin at a certain time and end at a certain time. If I was in the market for a crock pot, and I'm obviously not, then this would be the kind I would want.

After dinner, we gathered in the den for the moment the kids had been most looking forward to - the opening of the presents. I was the first one to open, which Troy wasn't too happy about as he wanted to go first. The first gift I opened was from Tim and Jan and was wrapped in a Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark Tin and I thought that was what the gift was. I was told to open the tin and inside was not Peppermint Bark, but a gift card to the movies, which will be put to good use this weekend coming up as I plan to finally go see The Hobbit (I didn't have a chance to squeeze it in this past weekend); not to mention there are about 10 other movies on my list of movies to see while I'm on vacation next week.

I also got a gift certificate for a pedicure from Tim and Jan which I am really looking forward to using. It has been quite a few months since someone other than me gave my feet a pedicure and so it was a great gift! Jackie and the kids got me an adorable apron from Flirty Aprons. I had actually been looking at the aprons on that site late last week. They had a couple of Christmas aprons on sale and I wanted to buy myself one, but decided I didn't need to spend the money. The apron they gave me is turquoise and black and is so adorable. I can't wait to wear it in the kitchen. They also gave me a hanging tin "sign" with magnets on it. I say "sign" because it doesn't say anything but I didn't know how else to describe it. Anyway, on the "sign" with the magnets was a picture of Jackie and the Kids. It was one that they had taken for their Christmas cards and is a really great photo.

Troy opened his present next and I was really excited to see his reaction. I got him Season One of Once Upon A Time on DVD. Troy absolutely loves that show and I knew it would be the perfect gift for him. He didn't even open it all the way before he leapt out of his chair and threw himself on me with the biggest hug of all time. He so reminds me of Justin at that age as Justin would give the biggest hugs and run around the room like a spaz when he got a gift he liked. I think it goes without saying that Troy was very excited to get this particular gift.

Ashlyn opened her gift next and had to use the scissors to help get the paper torn because if there's one thing I inherited from my grandmother Betty it's to use an obscene amount of tape on packages. I gave Ashlyn a Fancy Nancy sticker book and a sliver necklace with a really pretty and colorful pendant on it. She was not quite as enthusiastic as Troy, but I think she liked it nonetheless. Jackie received a Daily Bible from me; this particular Bible is one I have mentioned before - the Bible in chronological order. It lays out the Bible in the order it was written and is an interesting way to read it. This Bible is also broken into daily sections so you can read the Bible in a year. I've read mine for three years in a row and really like it. Erika and my dad also have this Bible as well as some girls in our class. Hopefully she will enjoy it. I got Janice the new Joy the Baker cookbook which is full of tasty looking treats and I gave Tim an iTunes gift card so he can download aps, etc. on his iPad.

After opening our presents we had butter pecan cake for dessert and it was really delicious. I left around 8:15 or so and made it home a little before 9:00. It was a really fun evening with really fun people. I'm thankful that God blessed me with this second family and I look forward to spending many more Christmases with them!

It's a little blurry and I have evil eyes, but at least the apron is cute!

Troy and his Once Upon A Time DVD Set

Ashlyn and her Fancy Nancy book. I think she may be holding out her necklace as well, but I can't really see it. 

Jackie and her Bible

Jan and her cookbook

Tim and his gift card

Ashlyn with some whip cream on her nose.

It's mine and Jackie's yearly Christmas picture