Christmas eve ....

Christmas eve was so much fun

with our kids and grandkids

all clean and ready for the family

"the calm before the storm"

I put the tree in the living room this year and I really missed

having it in the den where I could see it every evening when

watching TV....I did this because of Khaleesi but then

ended up putting her in a crate

oh well...

the dining room table all ready for dinner

I do not have my coffee bar set up anymore

I'm looking for another piece of furniture to use for that

I saw the perfect piece at Costco and really regret I didn't

get it because now it's no longer available 

so I'm on the lookout!

here I am cooking again!

as much as I love it, cooking for a crowd will wear you out!

we now have to put a children's table up

when all of the kids and grandkids are here for dinner

I guess Khaleesi Rue was hoping she was going

to get a seat at that table

Our menu was...

London broil with horseradish sauce

rolls

pasta salad

lima beans

garden salad

and Daddy's dessert! 

We don't know what it is called, it's a recipe a friend gave him

and he makes it every year so we just call it "daddy's dessert"

For our appetizer, I did for the first time a charcuterie board

that's just a fancy word for salt preserved meats
I was so excited to make one of these, had been looking all
through Pinterest at all of the beautiful boards
I think it turned out pretty good with a good selection
of cheese and meats. Then some nuts, olives, artichoke hearts,
fig jam, bread sticks, grapes, dried cranberries, grapes, blackberries,
 crackers and mustard

I did a smaller one too so that Jacquelyn, who is a vegetarian could

have a nice selection of cheese, nuts and crackers

Jacquelyn bought Christmas crafts for the kids to entertain

them before dinner. So very thoughtful and the kids loved it

Declan, Gabe and Avery

John Thomas

Maddox and Nicole 

the kids and grandkids exchange their Christmas gifts

on Christmas eve.....and have so much fun

2 little princess'

so much fun and also so exhausting

topping the evening off with a little Bailey's. That is

always my treat during Christmas vacation

later....

Our kids ....

We have 3 children....adult children

Nicole Renee

Jacquelyn Diane

and 

John Jacob

we are so very proud of all 3 of them

We love being with them and really love that they

like to be around us! haha....we have fun together and I guess

that is what every parent wants when their children grow up

They decided together, before Jake moved to PA

to get together and go get a sibling tattoo

I myself would never get a tattoo but my kids seem to love them

But I did think it was pretty cool that they were getting one

and I think I probably just enjoyed the idea of the 3

of them being together. They are so busy in their lives so

being together doesn't happen much except for holidays

I teased them that thank goodness they will never forget

their birth order....haha

but really, I think they are pretty neat

such great looking young adults with hearts of gold

later....

Delaney Thanksgiving ....

I just LOVE Thanksgiving

I love all of the family coming over, the food, the cooking

not so much the cleaning up but who does!

my decorated table 

I thought it looked good but then I added some cedar from

a tree in the front yard...looks so much better

this is me all happy on Wed night cooking

some things early....I just love it!!

I cooked my cranberries the night before

I also put together my corn pudding and my

sweet potato casserole the night before

I never cook a whole turkey, only turkey breast

and due to our family size, I cook 2 so we are guaranteed 

turkey sandwiches the next day!

I don't do stuffing....I always brine my turkeys

and I love just cooking with fresh herbs

below...they are ready to go in the oven!

cousin love....

we were missing Jake and Kayce

they had dinner with Kayce's family

We were also missing Lynne and Tom who spent

Thanksgiving with Tom's family

another Thanksgiving together...so very thankful

later.....

Pendleton Family Thanksgiving .....

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family the weekend

prior to Thanksgiving. We always get together either the weekend

before or the weekend after so that families are not rushing 

around on Thanksgiving day having to eat 2 or 3 meals!

our niece Aimee and Alex open up their home for the family

and everyone loves it there

As Johnny calls it, it is the "fun home"

here are my 2 little princess'

Avery Grace and Lorraine Leona

so sweet that Aimee had the little table and chairs set up

for the little ones and it had the butcher paper on it for them

to color on. 

everyone pitches in and brings one or two dishes

there is 31 one of us....I think I have that number right. 

We know Momma and Daddy would be so happy that we 

continue to always be together during the holidays

Lorraine and Marshall still busy coloring....

Gabe and Declan watching some football

John Thomas

Lorraine is never too sure about Uncle Jake

and we were laughing so much about how she was looking at him

I wished I had snapped a picture of all of us....holding hands and

our brother Tracy saying the blessing

after eating, I decided to go around and get silly selfies with everyone

such fun

my son Jake....

brother-in-law Xel

and with little sister Kandi 

Xel and Kandi's daughter Alison....who is getting married in May!!

Kandi and Xel's other daughter Gabby

My brother Tracy's daughter Mallory

and his other daughter Abby

great niece Victoria Ray

our daughter Nicole

 our grandson Maddox

sister Vickie

sister-in-law Susan

little sister Kandi....doing her impression of how momma

would always do a selfie!

niece Aimee

daughter Jacquelyn

and with granddaughter Avery Grace

grandson Declan

great nephew Marshall

grandson Gabe

granddaughter Lorraine

Avery and Gabe in the theater room

we had such a great time as always

and now getting together on the 30th for our Christmas together. 

I think I need to try to get more silly selfies and try to get everyone!!

later.....