Welcome to the Looney Bin: Christmas at Nan & Papa's

On the 26th, after playing with all of our new presents, we packed up the family and headed over to my grandparents' house where we had our annual Christmas celebration with my aunt & cousins. We had a yummy dinner and then our gift exchange and "white elephant" exchange. The white elephants are always a big hit ;o) Everyone wraps the ugliest most useless things they can find and waits to see the looks on the face of the "lucky" person that gets their gift :) It's a lot of fun! It was fun to be around all of our family again! For the first time there was a baby that wasn't mine there!!! Michael & Amy have little Alexander now and I can tell already he can't wait until next year when he will be running around with the big kids! (that just sounds weird....on Mark's side my kids are the "little" kids).

My Aunt Cathy & Uncle Dean

Amy, Michael, & Alexander

Papa

This year was "The Year of the Flashlight" for Mark :) I think he got 6! We'll never be in the dark!

My cousin Dave.

My youngest cousin Danny. I suppose I should call him "Dan" now but it's just hard to realize he's all grown up now. How can he be 25 already?

Patrick & Nan

Benny opening his lantern. All the kids got them from Nanny & Papa and they were a BIG hit!

Grace loved her PINK lantern!

Emma was so funny - she just carried her light around all night. She'd have it on, then she'd turn it off, then on, then off....

Alexander and his new furry friend, Tigger. We got this for him because for Patrick's first Christmas Amy & Michael gave him a stuffed Tigger and it ended up being his very favorite stuffed critter and he still sleeps with it today. In fact, Patrick wasn't too happy that I had gotten this Tigger for Alexander - he thought HE should have it:)