Holly Jolly Christmas

Hello there! I hope you had a very lovely Christmas.  It looks like lots of my northern friends had a white Christmas! Jealous!

I've been busy this month......trying to "stick to our normal routines" & teach the curriculum while also adding in a little Christmas magic here & there at school (in the form of popsicle stick & glitter crafts, cupcakes, and The Polar Express).....making my famous holiday chex mix for 25 teachers + 14 police officers (WHEW!)......buying & wrapping presents.....and celebrating Christmas with my family in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee once again.

We got back to Raleigh last night and, after I unpacked my Christmas gifts and showed them to Matty, I relaxed on the couch and tried to remember all of the hilarious things I needed to tell him about the trip.  My family is just out of this world and we have the most fun together.  I kept saying it was "the trip of unlimited laughs."  We saw 2 shows, ate TOO MUCH, opened gifts, saw Christmas lights, went shopping at the outlets, and just laughed and laughed.  I've said it before and I'll say it again....we need our own reality show.

Since I got a new iPhone 5 for Christmas (Hallelujah! Thanks Matty!), I took a million pictures on my phone and just a few on my "real" camera.  Here's my attempt at a Christmas recap (with lots of pictures and a few words here and there)......

Spending some quality time with my cousin Ted 

before he went to the dog sitter's house for Christmas

View from the balcony at our hotel

Delicious Christmas Eve dinner at the Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge

Christmas Eve show - Smoky Mountain Opry

We've been to a LOT of shows through the years and we all agreed this one was the best! 

Christmas morning donut run :) 

 The whole crew at a big Christmas Day family lunch

Amazing spread of homemade deliciousness

Yum yum yum! 

Gift time! We always open presents in my grandpa's hotel room.  We distribute them and then we each take turns opening one gift at a time.  My grandpa can never wait for his turn and he cracks us up so much trying to sneak and open his gifts! 

 So blessed! iPad cover (for my iPad at work), Mountain Hardware jacket, ruffled boots, The Hiding Place book, VS perfume, bath & body works goodies, makeup, earrings, socks, mittens, hat, post it notes, polka-dotted peplum shirt, polka-dotted scarf, panties, chocolatey treats, $$$$, gift cards.....and more! Not pictured are the wonderful gifts I received from coworkers and students.  I must've been on the "nice" list this year! 

 On Christmas night, we saw the Cirque de Chine show.  It was out of this WORLD.  

 I think our jaws were on the floor the entire time! 

 Juggling hats while in a pyramid

 We ended the trip with a traditional breakfast at Flapjacks and another visit to the outlets :)