It's The Biz-Busiest Time of The Year!

We have had a busy few days. I hope to get caught up and update everything for my own memory...but it won't be tonight.

Today we celebrated Christmas with Jim's family down at the Lakehouse. It was crowded...and loud...but that's how it always is, and we had a lot of fun. Logan said he hadn't been down there since the summer!

Jim and I, Joshua and Clark, stopped to pick up Logan from his in-law's house. Morgan went to church with her family and said she would join us later. Aaron came in his own car, so he could be free to leave and get back home if things ran long...because Holly worked today, and he didn't want her coming home to an empty house.

Both of Jim's brothers were there...their wives, and nearly all of the cousins.

The guys grilled steaks, and we had baked potatoes, green beans and rolls. Jim's mom made a chocolate cake and a lemon ice-box pie, and Jim's sister-in-law made 2 pecan pies.

No one went hungry, that's for sure.

We didn't eat until around 2, and then we gathered in the living room for "Christmas." Jim's mom always gives us a SACK OF STUFF. I call it my SOS. It's a large gift-bag, and she fills it with the most random things ever. One year, I got a throw-blanket and a book of poems on friendship and a little bag "to keep my panty-hose in when I wash them "(WHAT?), some "push-pins" (thumb-tacks) with decorative fruit on the ends of them, a hammer, a towel turban thing to wear on your head after you wash your hair...and a pink wrench.

Yeah.

Always entertaining, and always leaves us all scratching our heads as to WHAT IN THE WORLD? And WHY?

This year, I got another "throw-blanket." I may or may not have mentioned that we get one of these every year.

We EACH get one of these EVERY YEAR.

Our family is single-handedly keeping the displaced residents of our county warm...because there is no way we can use that many blankets. 

That was really the only thing in my SOS this year. I mean, besides the gift card. She always gives us a gift-card.

Not gonna lie...I was a little disappointed there wasn't more weird stuff in my SOS. But, never fear...my mother-in-law ended up giving me two hammers before I left. You know...in case you ever need more than one hammer for anything.

And then she told us to "shop" in the you-TIL-TEE room (utility room) and in Mammaw Irene's room (the front bedroom)...both places are crammed full of canned goods, boxed goods, pots, pans, Rubbermaid containers, random kitchen utensils, random tools...and more. Seriously...you can't even imagine.

Think: HOARDERS.

And, also? Come here if the world ends, and eat some Vienna Sausages from 1989...

I usually let Jim bring home stuff, but he never checks the dates on things...and there are many things he's brought home over the years...that are past the expiration date. NOT THIS TIME! I brought home several things...and so did Logan and Morgan.

Side note: My mother-in-law also keeps some bulk items outside in the carport, so, before we left, we had to go through all of that stuff, too: laundry detergent, paper towels, Charmin toilet paper. Even tho I didn't need more toilet paper...I already have 96 rolls of toilet paper, just in our master bathroom closet...I went ahead and stocked up.

Because ya never know!

"A generous person will be blessed..." Proverbs 22:9