Christmas Part I

After two and a half wonderful weeks of eating, being with family, eating, being with friends, eating, shopping, eating and packing, we are back in Jamaica. We arrived on Thursday afternoon. Spirit Airlines was over two and a half hours late leaving Fort Lauderdale. We got up at four a.m. and were at the airport before six. As always it was terrible to say goodbye to family, but we are so grateful that we were able to spend Christmas and New Year's at home.

We arrived home one week before Christmas and stayed a week and a half after Christmas. Our Christmas festivities began on Christmas Eve at John and April's house.

Aunt Sharon and Mama stood over the turkey carcass that John fried and picked it to death. Aunt Sharon did relinquish a wing to me. Fried turkey wings are my favorite part of the turkey. We also had a ham, chicken and dressing, greens, eggplant casserole, pumpkin cake, pecan pie and of course sweet tea! April's mom and dad from Tallahassee, her sister Gayle and her husband Mark along with their three boys, twins Brayden and Brennan and their younger brother Walker from Mississippi came. Nathan was born one day before Walker so they had a blast together. John's sister and her husband along with their girls joined us as well.

April and Howie with no shame and a lovely shot of my plate.

Uncle Layne, Aunt Sharon and Mama watching their kids sing Christmas carols.

Before the evening ended we all gathered in the living room to sing.

Later that night we went over to Todd's parent's house and ate some more. Todd's sister, Lisa, made wonderful crab stuffed mushrooms and spinach dip. Grammy, Todd's mom also made some wonderful pumpkin pie and chocolate dipped peanut butter balls.

Tradition at Grammy and Pappy's is for the kids to open matching pajamas and then wear them on Christmas morning to open the rest of their presents.

Jacob and Nathan showing off their new pajamas.