Christmas 2013 (New Year's, too!)

We spent Christmas on the mountain.  On our drive in, about 20 minutes before exiting 540 it started to really snow.  It was so pretty.  Big, white, fluffy snowflakes!  It for sure made it feel like Christmas :) We had everyone there...Shawn, Anastasia, Yasha, Adam, Christy...and my mom and Louis of course ;) SP and I have started a tradition (2 years so far) with bringing a bunch of tamales up from a little local taco shop here in Keller.  They make them fresh and they are soooo yummy!  That's what we had for our Christmas Eve meal, and on Christmas SCT prepared duck.  We never seem to do too shabby in the food department when we're all together.  Even with all that delicious food around, I still can't help myself from slipping a few handfuls of Cheetos on occasion (or often).  It's just that I know exactly where the green tupperware container that has been the Traylor family Cheeto container (doesn't every family have one of these?) for as long as I can remember lives.  And every time I open the pantry, it asks for me to eat a few. It's not my fault!!!  Great, now I am craving Cheetos and I'm supposed to be talking about Christmas!  Sheesh!

Ok, moving on...Christmas Eve was very emotional for me.  I feel like I was emotional at Thanksgiving, but Christmas was a whole new ballgame.  My dad used to always read The Cajun Night Before Christmas to us all in his best cajun accent. It was always the highlight of Christmas Eve. This year, Shawn gave it his best shot! He did a very good job, and I made it through with tears and laughter - that's the best way, right?

Christmas morning came, and we all had so much fun watching Yasha see what Santa had brought him!  Life size Legos, a train set, and a soccer ball!  We all tried to keep our gift giving in check this year, as we are all saving for something it seems.  We enjoyed slowly making our way through each gift and just being all together.

1- The snowfall!  2-  Yasha, Louis, and baby Parks in my lap!
3- Louis and his pal, Yasha!  4- Mom helping put the final touches on our Rum Cake!

1- No words.  2- Santa's delivery!  3- Adam and Christy trying to wake up!  4- Mom and her baby.

1- No words!  2-  Uncle Adam helping Yasha open his gift from him.  3- SCT drooling over the idea of going to Monaco for F1 next year!  4- SP's creative wrapping skills ;)

Adam and Christy went back to Shreveport on Thursday and Shawn and Anastasia left for Guatemala on Friday, leaving SP, my mom and I in charge of Mr. Yasha!  Sean stayed with us until Monday, thank goodness!  Uncle Sean is just too much fun to let go home!  

Boy did we have some fun with our little buddy!!!

1 - The duck from Christmas (a little out of order)!  2- Playing at the park!
3- Louis wants in the lap, too!  4 - Yasha looooved swinging, especially when SP pretended he was riding in a rocket ship! 

Yasha helped Grammy make sugar cookies!  Then, we each took a turn decorating the cookie Yasha picked out for us.  I broke mine the second I piked it up.  He didn't seem too concerned :)

We took him to see Frozen!  He sat through the entire thing, while eating an entire bag of fruit snacks!  Whoops!

1- He was attached to her at the hip!  So sweet.  2 & 4 - We took him to the Bentonville Fire Station!
3- Playing Play Doh.

1 - The Elmo puzzle that he wanted help working no less than 100 times!!!!!  2- After the fire station, we took him to Chick Fil A for his first time ever!  He LOVED the nuggets!!!  

These two were perfect playmates! 

This kid can eat when he's at Grammy's!  She made him special blueberry pancakes almost every morning.
When asked if he wanted some, he'd respond with, "Ummm...I think that'd be ok!"  Priceless!

On New Year's Eve, we put Yasha to bed and then my mom and I ate mexican take out and watched Grumpy Old Men!  It was the perfect evening, if I do say so myself!!!

I told Sean that my bedtime was going to be 10:30, so he should call me by 10 and we could pretend it was midnight!  He was right on time, and then I was quickly off to sleep :)

New Year's Day, we made black eyed peas, cornbread and brussels sprouts!  Becky came over to watch the Tigers play against Iowa, and Yasha napped during the game. That worked out well for us because he was not interested this time in watching Geaux Tigers play.  WHATEVER...he clearly has a lot to learn!  We won, 21-14.  I think we Tiger fans are very glad to see this season end!  

We had the best time with Yasha and he was so good for the 5 days we had him.  I enjoyed spending 2 weeks on the mountain with my mom and everyone else for the days they were there.