The "Chri-ma Recap" 2005

Quote of the Holiday:
"What a terrible mother you are, taking that baby's beer away from him!"
~Mom, to my cousin Catherine as her 2-year old screamed bloody murder after only getting one little sip of "his" beer... you know how drunks can be when you try to take away their alcohol (see right)...

We managed to do all the required holiday activities: watched "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" & "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", went in search of tacky Christmas light displays (very disappointing this year -- way too classy... what has happened to my hometown & the days of lights being strung around the Virgin Mary's neck in the manger scene, for goodness sake!?), went to church, ate Dad's gumbo on Christmas Eve, had a squabble amongst family members, drank alcohol on a pretty consistent & continual basis, stuffed our faces nonstop, built a raging fire even though it was 60 degrees outside, etc.

And poor Jon, he deserves *major* points for surviving the first Christmas with my family -- the first outsider we've let in without being forced via marriage... I know we can be a bit of a handful, but let me commend him for taking it oh-so-so gracefully & in stride... It takes a strong man....

I made out like a thief as far as presents (then again, I always do -- I have a fabulous family & boyfriend who know me well, but I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a bit spoiled beyond what I deserve!)... However, I must note that nearly every present fell into one of the following categories:

1. House Cleaning & Kitchenwares (a gorgeous full-length mirror from sweet Jon, a vacuum cleaner, an electric wok, napkins & placemats, a cookbook, a bad-ass set of kitchen knives, purple towels, etc.)
2. Bath & Body (lotions, soaps, sugar scrub, body wash, perfume, hand cream, a soft-as-can-be bathrobe, etc.)
3. Clothing & Accessories (scarves, sweaters, gloves, jewelry, etc.)

So apparently, according to my gifts, I need to work on my house-cleaning/cooking skills {or lack thereof}, add a splash of lavender to my personal hygiene regimen, and accessorize more &/or better... I think it's some sort of hint disguised as gifting. But I love it all nonetheless. And of course there were many other fun gifts thrown in here and there:

• as always, a picture frame of a Dead Pre$ident in it (see above left, even though this time it's Ben Franklin, so it's not technically a President, but I'll sure take it!)
• a purple beaded ring my cousin had specially made for me -- so unique & meaningful...
• MONEY
• some really, really good wine -- thanks Dad!!!
• picture frames (burgundy & plum velvet) -- I mean, can you ever have too many???

I was able to find Jon the DVD of "Flash Gordon" for Christmas happy -- not an easy one to locate & I swear that movie borders on "B-Movie" status, you know? And with a soundtrack by Queen, well, you just can't beat that with a stick. But before you think I'm just too good to be true (& I know that's exactly what you were all thinking, right?), I also got him the Butt/Face soap and the Pooping Santa candy. Genius.

As I noted in a previous post, I have fallen in love w/ my cousin's youngest son, Matthew. I just a/b had them convinced to give him to me (his Dad was gung-ho, even more so after we offered them a new car AND Formula One race tickets & the older brother would just love to see him gone, but I think my cousin wants to keep him -- hmph). There's a picture of him after they got him in the new froggie sweater I bought him that I'll have to post later (I got the matching pants, too, but Jon drew the line & made me put the matching socks back). But instead, I'm posting a goodbye pic of him with my dad, just before they took my little guy back home to Georgia with them (sniff, sniff).... That child smiles all the damn time -- it's uncanny. He's just a happy little person & it's totally infectious!

Unfortunately, I think, so are the colds they brought with them. Jon & I were sick all through Christmas -- coughing, wheezing, runny noses, the works... I've been about a day behind him, so each day I can look at him & know what to expect. Thank heavens he's finally on the mend. I've been living on Robitussin & NyQuil, so you know I've been a whole lotta fun lately! It's certainly no fun to be sick, but on Christmas? Well, that's just mean. I had "walking pneumonia" one year -- and man, was that a blast. Plus, I'm in my friend Molly's wedding on Friday (donning a beautiful but strapless bridesmaid's dress, my big fat ass right on the heels of Thanksgiving AND Christmas wiggling into it, the lack of any tan -- oh this is gonna be lovely). At least it doesn't matter -- this wedding is not about me anyway!!! ;)

As I say every Christmas since I was a little bitty kid, "I got everything I wanted and nothing I didn't want!" And I wish the same for all of you... God bless!!!