First Mississippi Christmas

This was our first Christmas in our new house in Mississippi. We were excited to have family come stay with us. It was one of the most exciting Christmases I can remember as an adult...mostly due to the two great gifts the kids got this year. Santa wrapped a note for DoubleA and sent her on a scavenger hunt. It ended with her finding the one thing she wanted most but really knew she wasn't getting...a kitten!

She was so excited and surprised. She has named him Flash. He is pretty speedy.

BumbleBee REALLY wanted a "Bass Pro Four Wheeler." Its a battery operated ride on type toy. We told him it was too expensive and he probably wasn't getting it. His grandparents took pity on him and got it for him. It was hidden in another room and halfway through the morning I pulled him aside and asked if he had gotten everything he wanted (he had already unwrapped the biggest boxes with no four wheeler). He forlornly answered "yeah, mostly." This was when grandpa sent him into the guest room to "find his knife." When BumbleBeewent in he saw the four wheeler and jumped up and down he was so excited!

It looks like BumbleBee wasn't the only one excited about the Bass Pro Four Wheeler!

My mom and dad were here among many other visitors. At one point we had up to 15 people here!

Its always exciting when the cousins are together. They had so much fun playing together and made tons of noise.

I had done a detailed menu plan and spent much of my time cooking meals and desserts. I enjoy doing this and Husband#1 helped with main dishes by cooking most of them on the Big Green Egg. Many other people pitched in with prep, table setting, and most importantly...clean up. I made a yummy Gingerbread chocolate cake. I also made a cream cheese wreath which turned out to be essentially a king cake without all the sickening sugar. Husband #1 told me I should rename it a Queen Cake and claim it as my own. We had a seafood casserole, fig and balsamic glazed cornish hens, mini ham and roast beef roasted party sandwiches, beef tenderloin, and so on. Husband #1 and my brother learned how to smoke cheese and they did some duck breast.

I have gazoodles more pictures from Christmas but will spare you the "slideshow." :)