For the first time ever my mom's side of the family celebrated Christmas at my aunt and uncle's house in Texas. Four carloads of Oklahomans headed south for the festivities. I left Tuesday night with Little Miss M and my nephew following Christmas with my dad's family in OKC. Got there around 11:30 pm and my Tulsa aunt and cousins were already there. Auntie M (Texas aunt) convinced us we needed to take a dip in the hot tub. None of us had swimsuits but she said she had us covered and retrieved a tub full of bathing suits. Two-piece bathing suits. Belonging to my Texas cousin. Who wears a size 0 or 2. And we do not. Needless to say there was a lot of laughter and experimental combining of strings and patches of cloth. "Covered," my ass! In the end we all ended up in baggy old t-shirts and my uncle's swim trunks. Nice.
I got the opportunity to meet up with Kristin on Wednesday and we were able to hit a few shops at our former TX stomping grounds. By the time I got back to the house my mom, stepdad, and stepsister and my grandma had all arrived. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and then did our gift exchange. We've been doing Dirty Santa exchanges for a few years now and this one was supposed to be "silly." Okay, I need a few more guidelines than that. And if I'm going to shell out my hard-earned money I want the reassurance that I will get something decent in return (yeah, I know, so much for my Christmas spirit). I spend days trying to find the perfect "silly" gift and in the end I was proud of my purchase. It was funny, practical, and unique. Or so I thought...
Yep, four state school Snuggies later...ah well. This is my family's rendition of the Snuggie dance. Note the ostracized OU fan in back. My gift, you ask? Ah yes...I was the proud recipient of a wonderfully useful hat and Christmas puzzle...
On Thursday we all pitched in and made the traditional Christmas dinner and then my Tulsa aunt and cousins hopped in the car to begin the five-hour trek back home. Unfortunately the snowstorm had already begun and seven and a half hours later they were back at the house in TX. They made it as far north as Durant and had turn back. My mom and her household were planning on leaving on Friday but no one left 'til Saturday. M and I hung back until Sunday when we were sure I-35 was clear.
All in all, it was the perfect (extended) holiday spent with my favorite people in the whole world. Lots of laughs. Lots of love. The End.
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