Cousins...and Christmas

Before I talk about cousins and Christmas and stars of David and reindeer food...let me show you this.


Isn't that pretty. Our good friends gave us these beautiful flowers as our gift. Aren't they beautiful and oh so festive. I just thought it was such a clever and unique idea. And you know how I love unique. Makes the cookies I gave them sound pretty lame. Oh well, thanks Kusuda's...we just love them. They just cheer up my kitchen and make me smile everytime I walk in there.



Now, onto the party. And not just any party. The Cousin Christmas party, we saved the best for last people.


Didn't even know Drake was at the party. It was at Jen's house this time, and Drake cruised around her front room the entire day. Toys, wrapping paper, spilled cheerios...it was all there for his taking and he enjoyed every minute of it. Seriously, I barely heard a peep out of him the entire time.





We started out with a little cousin gift exchange. Each family bought a gift for every little cousin. So they each went home with 2 little presents. Gotta love Dollar Tree, the kids sure do!! We started with that cause the kids couldn't think of anything but those presents. You know how kids are.


We then moved over into the kitchen to make the star of David out of toothpicks and gumdrops.



My little artistic boy. Oh how he loves his little art projects. Lincoln made not a one...Carson made about 8. And they all came home with us. And then he packed them up this morning and took all 8 of them to his Vovo's house. A bit obssessive about this kinda thing...just a bit. (and of course Lincoln wanted nothing to do with these at the party, but the minute we got home he threw a royal fit cause he didn't have one. Then he tried to steal one of Carson's and there were tears all around)




They are supposed to be the star of David, however I think ours look more like snowflakes. Either way.



Next up, making some reindeer food. Dancer and Prancer are going to have to fight it out over this stuff. Cheerios, oats, raisins and some red and green sprinkles, that is some quality reindeer food.




All ready to sprinkle in our yards on Christmas Eve.


A little candybar walk...which is basically like a cake walk just with candy and Christmas jingles instead. (Doesn't Lincoln look enthused)


I think all this Christmas excitement is starting to catch up with him. Boy, has he been in a mood. He has been so hard to handle lately, even for him. At this point in the party he had about had it.


Little Miss Jen then went about getting us some refreshments ready...


wassail,


and these delightful little cherry chocolate cookies.


Now this is my favorite part of the party. The kids are all off wrecking havoc on Jen's house while we do this. We sit and sip warm drinks, eat one too many delicious cookies all while discussing the latest events. You know things like who is ahead on their wrapping (that would be me), what we are wearing on Christmas Eve, favorite Christmas cards we had received...you know just life's most pressing matters. Ha! I love my sissies.

And that my friends is a party. A very good party.

And now I must be off. The kids are asleep, I am officially done with all things Christmas and the honey and I are going to snuggle up in front of our Christmas tree and watch an old favorite. Wouldn't be Christmas without Chevy Chase and "Christmas Vacation".

And for all you fellow Clark Griswold lovers out there...I leave you with a few laughs.


"It isn't going in our yard Russ, its going in our living room."

"Where you going to put a tree that size Griswold"
"Why don't you bend over and I'll show you"
"You gotta alot of nerve talking to me like that Griswold"
"I wasn't talking to you"

"Little knot here, you work on that"

"Can't see the line, can ya Russ"

"Little full, lotta sap"

"Falls in a well, eyes go crossed
Gets kicked by a mule, they go back
I don't know"

"Drumroll please..."

Ha, ha, are you laughing.

Gotta love it.