Getting the Lee/Brown family (my sister also married a Brown) together for Christmas proved a bit difficult this year. Out came the i-phones as everyone checked for an available date during Thanksgiving dinner. The girls have grown and now have their own families and with those, new holiday celebration obligations. December 2015 was booked. The first available date turned out to be Jan 23.
I left part of my house still decorated for Christmas.
The tree was too dry to make it to the party.
I was born on January 15 and Vanessa was born on January 16. Our family Christmas party became a Merry Birthday Party. A friend made wooden flag "happy" "holidays" "birthday" banners for me to hang to commemorate the occasion.
I drew Vanessa for the gift exchange so got to have a lot of fun with the present wrapping and gift itself.
Wearing holiday sweaters is a family tradition. Emily, Natalie and Vanessa. Amanda and her family were at their home in Los Vegas and Kendra now lives with her family in Kuwait.
Vanessa and Emily
Natalie (whose husband had to work).
Evan and Vanessa
Emily and Tom
Chuck and Linda
After dinner, when time came to cut the cake we noticed that the candles were no where to be seen. After a through search of the kitchen it dawned on me that while we were opening presents a cell phone had fallen off the counter. The culprit of course was Trask and I was pretty sure the cell phone was not his objective from the counter. Trask takes his "prizes" under the trees out front of the house. Sure enough. A chewed open plastic bag with sampled birthday candles were scattered in the pine needles.
I was just sitting down to enjoy my piece of cake when all three girls screamed "Dog got cake! Dog got cake!" I practically leaped over the counter. The remaining cake slices were still there but the server was gone - to be found later under the trees.
The dogs were decorated during the gift opening. Unfortunately it was pretty dark outside when I took them out for a picture. They were not overly excited to be outside posing when there were free hands to give pets, faces to lick and bits of pizza to scavenge inside.
"I'm pretty. I stayed off the counter. Don't you think I deserve a piece of pepperoni?"
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