December 26, 2011

Shifflett Family Christmas

Every year my family gets together at a church hall in Greene to celebrate Christmas. Everybody brings a dish or two and we eat a big meal and just spend time together. Family comes from all different parts of the country, from Greene, Madison, North Carolina, and Arkansas. It's always a fun time and it's great seeing everyone since we all live so far apart!










My Aunt Sharon painted this picture. It's amazing!







We took a picture of everyone there (thanks to Bill who took the picture!). You're looking at four generations with my Gramma Elsie, the matriarch, right smack in the middle!



Not only is the next picture the reason for the season, it's also the center piece of a pretty cute story. My adorable little cousin looked up at this and said, "Oh Wow!!! A trophy!" She was mesmerized and it was so cute!


Here's Melanie and Ava playing with my baby Scooter!


Scoot was such a good sport!





We had a wonderful Christmas spending quality time with family. It's crazy to think how fast it all went by. Next year will be here before we know it! However, our Christmas festivities aren't over yet. We still have two more to go!

December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

Christmas seemed to sneak up on us this year! I've been extremely busy (hence why there hasn't been an updated post since August) and I felt like I barely had enough time to get everything finished this year. The holidays seem to be over just as quickly as they arrived. We had a fantastic time with family and close friends and can't wait to do it all again next year!

Every year Bill and I always spend the early evening of Christmas Eve at my parents' house. My mom always whips up a delicious meal and lots of family comes over to celebrate. This year we had a wide variety of family members join us, from the regulars to some that we don't see very often. However, the most exciting thing was having my little nephew Drew and second cousin Gracen join us for their very FIRST Christmas! It was great to have so much family together to help celebrate the addition of two new members into our family. They definitely stole the spotlight!

Here is my cousin Jen with my nephew little Drew!


And here is my Mom holding "little" Gracen! You'd never know that Gracen was actually younger than Drew. He's a growing boy!!!


Now that the newbies have been introduced, here are the rest of the pictures from Christmas Eve dinner! I would apologize for having so many pictures of babies up here, but why would anybody do that?!?! They're SO cute!












Little Drew and Gramma Elsie!


 


Packed up and ready to head to another Christmas party, now equipped with the new hat that his Aunt Jess and Uncle Bill got for him! Go Hoos!!



After we finish up at my parents' house, we always head to Bill's mom's for the exchanging of gifts. This is always a great time. We have chili and open up all sorts of presents!









After a long Christmas Eve, Bill and I wake up and head back to my parents' house to have a delicious Christmas morning breakfast and open up gifts! This is probably my favorite time during all of the Christmas festivities!





Our cornhole boards that Mom and Dad got Bill and I!






My sister got our Mom a really cool gift. She blew up a picture of my Mom when she was pregnant with me and my Uncle Mark who died right before Christmas last year...



Once we finish up at my parents' house, we always go to my Grandpa's for more family time! There's always plenty of food and fun. My Uncle Chris and I used to always play whatever new video game we got from Santa for HOURS while all of the adults talked. Now that we're all grown up, we just sit around and watch the NBA. Definitely miss all those hours of Golden Eye!

Here is a REALLY cool picture. You're looking at FOUR GENERATIONS. My Great Grandma Frazier is in the middle, surrounded by her son (my Grandpa), his children, and his children's children along with their spouses. This is what Christmas is all about!




We got our Grandparents a set of Virginia cornhole boards, too! They loooooved it!





Love my parents!



It's a busy and hectic time of year, but seeing everyone and spending quality time makes it all worth while. We still have one more family get together. I will be sure to post pictures!