Merry Christmas

Ah Christmas! That one day of the year when all chaos breaks out in my house. I spent all morning preparing dinner and waiting for everyone to show up. But this time I was prepared or so I thought. The turkey was done this year but once again the dressing didn't seem to want to cook all the way through inside the turkey. So pulling from my Food Network brain, I quickly sliced the uncooked dressing, threw it in a skillet to finish cooking, then dropped it in a crock pot to keep warm.

I don't really have enough room in my house for everyone to sit at the table. Karen and Michele were lucky and grabbed a seat at the table or maybe it was Karen who grabbed the seat with Violet and Michele had no other place to sit.

Michael can eat any place so he just grabbed a TV tray...

As did Teresa and Brad.

There was a little relaxation after dinner - Dad enjoying the rest of his tea...

And Bruce and Courtney finishing off their glass of wine - before the unwrapping of presents.

Violet was so excited to open presents but after getting her chap stick (empty I might add) she needed Courtney's help in opening her gifts.

Melissa tried to keep Violet away from all the gifts before everyone got there. She uses the excuse that the gift is for Ashley. You can imagine how excited Violet was when she finally got to give Ashley her gift and, of course, help her open it.

Violet enjoyed passing out gifts to everyone else.

She even got brave enough and sat by Great Grandpa while he opened his.

Later we all sat around just taking a breather and enjoying the gifts received.

Why do I feel like the person at the party with the lamp shade on their head? But Christmas 2014 is over. I think I'll wait a few days before planning Christmas 2015.

Oh, I almost forgot, my favorite gift of all - artwork from Violet.