Christmas in Texas

We do four different Christmas celebrations within 24 hours of each other when we go to Texas.  I've noticed a theme.  I start out really gung-ho and take a lot of pictures at the first Christmas event, then just get completely worn out and take less and less at each subsequent one.  Shame on me!

First, we do Christmas Eve at my grandparents' on my mom's side.

We waited until the end of the night to try and get a family picture.  This was the best we could do..

We wake up on Christmas morning at my parents' house.

Then we go have lunch at my grandmother's on my dad's side.  I failed to get any pictures whatsoever there.  I feel terrible!

After lunch, we head to Jon's parents' to spend the night and do Christmas with them.

This year we were able to stay in town through the weekend after Christmas, so we were finally able to attend "Richey Christmas" which is a gathering of all Jon's aunts, uncles, and cousins that lasts the whole weekend.  It's a lot of fun.  Annabel had a great time learning to play 42 with Uncle Nolan on Friday night.

And on Saturday, Aunt Joyce made snowmen with the girls.

Here's my girly/redneck girl getting her pretty pink shirt covered in soot from the fire.  Oh well, she was having a blast.

Annabel had to go back to my parents' house shortly after making her snowman on Saturday, because she spiked a big fever.  That night turned out to be one of the worst sick nights of my motherhood.  She felt so miserable, she didn't know what she wanted.  "I want Nana.  I want my crib.  I want Mommy."  On and on basically all night.  Accompanied by fever, a racing heart rate, vomit, the works…  We found out on Monday after we got back home and went to see our pediatrician that it was just a bad case of strep throat.  Thankful it was not the flu like I was suspecting!

What a great week celebrating the birth of our Savior with all our family.  I hope your Christmas was just as blessed!