Holiday Fun

I was looking forward to the holidays this year more than ever, because this would be the first Christmas Drea was old enough to enjoy it. We took her to the Picture People in December to get Christmas photos made with all of her cousins. It was an exhausting trip, but we managed to get some adorable photos.
On Christmas Eve we went to Westminster to visit the Mabry side of the family. We had a great time as always, and Drea enjoyed being a ham and getting lots of attention. We enjoyed seeing everyone, eating good food, and meeting Hunter (the newest Mabry..for now).
Drea's Nana and Papa came over on Christmas morning to eat breakfast and watch her open her presents. Then we went to meet up with the Bridges family for lunch. It started to snow just as we were leaving, and continued snowing for several hours. I never thought I'd see a white Christmas in SC! My parents and brother Daniel's family came over to the house to open gifts and eat supper. The living room became a tornado of gift wrap and toys. Drea really enjoyed herself. I remember glancing over at her at one point during the evening and seeing her wading through knee high gift wrap holding her new baby doll in one hand and her new pretend cell phone in the other. She was following her cousin Lydia and having the time of her life. After we finished with presents, Mama and I took the kids out to play in the snow before we ate supper. Then everyone else had to rush home before the roads got scary.
We were supposed to join the Stepps in Clemson on December 26th, but we put it off for a day due to the snow. When we finally did get together, Drea enjoyed yet another day of getting lots of attention from a large group of people. She had a lot of fun playing with Brian's younger cousins and seeing her great aunts and uncles. She enjoyed her presents too. She fell asleep on the way home, and we were able to take her out of the car seat and lay her in her crib without any crying. She was wiped out from too much fun and ready to sleep!
On New Year's Eve Mama, Daniel, and the kids came over for a spaghetti supper and some minor fireworks in the driveway. Drea watched them with her daddy from the front porch. She needed reassurance when some of the fireworks got really loud, but she never cried and enjoyed the sparks and pretty colors. After Daniel and the kids went home we watched the ball drop before Drea and I went to bed.

On New Year's Day we got together again (Daddy joined us briefly) to eat lunch. We had ham, macaroni and cheese, collards, black- eyed peas, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Drea (as always) had a great time playing with her cousins. It was a wonderful way to start a new year.