Christmas Holidays

It's hard to believe that Christmas has already come and gone. It always goes by in a blur due to hectic schedules, parties, cooking, family visits, etc. This year, I was determined to enjoy every single minute. (and thanks to my new "grown-up" camera, I captured alot of moments!). Below are a few highlights of my 10 days in Mississippi. Yes, I actually had 10 days to catch up with family and friends all over Mississippi and Alabama. I am glad to report that I got almost everyone visited.

Christmas Eve is when I arrived in Meadville (by way of Canton to pick up baby girl and her Mom...could not wait to get my hands on my new niece!). As always, Christmas Eve communion at MUMC is special to me and I hope to never have to miss it. It's just the "official start" of Christmas festivities to me. I always look forward to catching up with my church family, also. After church, we went over to my Grandparents house in Natchez for dinner. Mamawgran and my Aunt Lisa set a wonderful dinner tablescape (wish I had a picture...) and prepared a fabulous meal. Instead of exchanging gifts with everyone this year, we decided to spice it up a bit and have a "Cajun Christmas". This is also known as White Elephant. We had a great time with good belly laughs...the best was when Dad got the candle sconces. (And thanks to Aunt L, he didn't have to keep them).

Grandaddy and Mamawgran Joseph with Callie

(just thought this was a sweet picture with them...)

Mom and I decided to give Stephanie and Chris a more meaningful Christmas gift this year: staying up with the baby at night so they could catch up on much needed sleep. They were very excited about the opportunity to get several hours of uninterrupted sleep. So, on Christmas morning, I walked into the living room (where Camp Callie was set up) and saw this sight.....Aren't they sweet?



I am happy to report that Callie slept a full 7 hours that night.....and I don't think it's happened since.
Christmas Day is always very full and busy. Mom cooks lunch for whoever shows up. We usually have about 20 or so people. Later in the afternoon, we all head down to the River for Christmas at Mamaw Sullivan's. It is always wall to wall people - some are blood kin and some are not. All the same, it's a great time and lots of people! This year, I stopped counting at 75. One tradition that was started by my Aunt Teresa was having each family's picture taken in front of the Christmas Tree. Every year it's a dreaded feat and this year it was my responsibility (thanks to my new camera??) Here are some highlights. I tried to put one picture of each family....since so many of you ask just how many people are in my family.....here goes, from oldest to youngest.

The Leonard Sullivan family (Papaw Vern Sullivan's brother)

The Bo Sullivan family

The Steve Sullivan Family

The Bill Sullivan Family

(missing: Josh and Elizabeth Sullivan Isles)

The Rex Sullivan Family

The Pat Sullivan Family

(individual family pics are below, after all others)

The Cindy Sullivan Roberson Family were not present. They spent Christmas in Bridgeport, Alabama where their daughter, Summer and her new son, Kale, live. They did not want to miss Kale's first Christmas!

The Judy Sullivan Oglesby Family

The Tasha Sullivan Scott Family

The Tara Sullivan Foster Family

Here is Callie in her reindeer Christmas suit. The slippers were way too big, but she was surely cute!

After Christmas at Mamaw's, I pulled Callie duty. She was a dream and we had a lot of fun about 2:00 that night...after she slept for about 5 hours.

After days after Christmas Day kind of all blur together....So....here are what I know are highlights.

My best friends from College and I always get together during the holidays and any other time I come home and have time. This year at Christmas, Heather was in Germany and not able to be with us....BUT, Lorrie's daughter, Shelby, got to tag along and she was so much fun! We decided to do something "girly" with Shelby, so we went to get pedicures and Shelby got a "manicure". It was so much fun to spend time with the girls and see Shelby have the time of her life! Here are a couple shots:

Lorrie (L) and Crystal (R) relaxing in the pedi chairs

Shelby letting her fingers dry after getting them painted and decorated....in PURPLE. She picked out her favorite color....

The weekend after Christmas, the Ocmond's came up from Thibadeaux, LA to hunt. They are a family full of chefs and we always look forward to eating anything they cook. This time, they brought us TWO trays of homemade chocolates (red velvet cake balls, turtles, millionaires, etc...). Below, they are shucking oysters on our back porch. Yes, I was in heaven with the FRESH oysters. They made their own cocktail sauce and it was better than anything I'd ever tasted. YUM!!!

Deano and Mr. Ockmond shucking oysters....we were eating them faster than they could shuck.

Dad giving the EasyShucker a try....

I went to Mobile, AL for New Years. I love my friends down there and never get to see them as often as I like. Since I had time this year, I was able to drive down and spend 1 night with them. Here is a picture we took at lunchtime at my favorite burger place, Butch Cassidy's. It's a total dive, but the best hamburgers around. That night, we went to Corinna's for a dinner party and rung in the New Year with a little Barry White and Disco music. Those pictures will not be blogged.

My cousin, Dana Joseph Ard, had a baby girl 2 days after Callie was born. Her name is Addison and we got the 2 of them together after Christmas. Hopefully they will be fast friends as they get older. Aren't they too cute????

Addison Reese and Callie Rivers - both are 1 month old

As I write this, I am still in Meadville. Tonight is shaping up to be fun as I am in for a new card game. I hear that it's intense and will surely have a story to tell when all is said and done. I am driving back tomorrow in the wind and rain (and possibly ice). Say a prayer and will "see" you in a few days.....