Friday morning I had the back of the van packed for the weekend at Grandma and Buddy's. Saturday was Aunt's Meeting and my gift this year was them was decorating Gingerbread house facades and other figures so I had a lot of the leftover decorating stuff and the pieces to be put together once I was at Mom's. It was pretty packed in there. But no matter how long we stay somewhere I always pack like I am moving in!!
Baylor packed quite a bit as well. He loves his stuffies and right now one of his favorites is Rudolph from Build a Bear. Hairy went a long too and left his hair all over the place. Love him!
After work I picked Baylor up at COF and we headed to Lancaster. But not directly to my parents because Friday night was the only night we would be able to see the reindeer at Stauffers and it was in the Stauffers I shopped at growing up. It is fun going back there but it has changed so much. It changed originally while I was in high school because one year it burned in a fire and was closed for several months until they rebuilt it. They put in a grocery store and in the last few years took it out and built a new store across the street. This location is now just a garden center but still fun to visit. I love plants and Christmas decorations and they had tons of both. But of course I had to use the potty first so we went inside as soon as we got there. Baylor loves playing in the fountains still, getting wet the whole time. When we walked in we had seen the line was super long already to see the reindeer so we stayed inside for a long time looking at ornaments and the other items in the store. It was also really COLD out there so we wanted to wait until the line was shorter.
We bought Grandma a Christmas Cactus and a wall hanging for Mama for Christmas. It says: Agenda for the day, Let the Dog in, Let the Dog out, Let the Dog in, Let the Dog out. That pretty much sums up her life! When we went outside we noticed the line for the Claus's was much shorter so we started there.
They gave him a lolly cane after visiting with them.
Finally we decided to get in the line for the reindeer, It was cold and dark and a slow moving line. We really had to keep moving and entertain each other, it probably took 30 minutes to get to the front of the line. He played in the Christmas trees, he went over to the firepit by himself to warm his hands, He played with Rudolph.
And with the giant Santa who was reduced for quick sale. He was $11,00.00 but now available for $500.00. Since he would not fit in the van or in the attic in the off season we sadly had to leave him there.
As we were waiting I noticed there were store employees who were helping take photos for families. It was nice that the parents were able to be in the photos as the two people would take over the cell phone or camera or one each. I was liking the idea of being in it with Baylor and right before our turn they all disappeared so I had to man my own camera and cell phone for photos.
Then we drove to Mom's right through the Lancaster Square. Thank you again Auto Awesome for the photo editing to make this nice wide shot of the square which is just beautiful lite up for Christmas.
We arrived safe and sound at their house and were surprised to find a warm, cozy fire waiting for us in the basement. I have wanted to use the fireplace before but never asked Mom and Dad if we could. They don't use it and I did not know if the chimney was clean Apparently it is and we used it all weekend.
In the morning I set up the decorating table. Mom and Dad have been lugging around the ping pong tables for years and in some of our homes we actually had them set up to play on. Now they are just amazing work tables! We had this one table and another smaller kids table for the boys. And tons of candy and decorating goodies. I worked on gluing the pieces together before everyone arrived and running them downstairs while Mom worked on the other food and tasty bits for the ladies to enjoy.
I had seen a really pretty table decoration online and made my own recreation for Mom's table (but it went home with me!) Dad bought Mom the mini roses and she had mugs of candy canes out as well.
For my final cake roll I made a Buche de Noel with chocolate sponge cake, chocolate buttercream and whipped chocolate ganache. I shaved chocolate on top as well. It was my best of the year I believe!
Around 10 the family started arriving and the fun began! I love our Aunt's Meetings and feel blessed to have the time we spend together during the year. We eat, talk, laugh, gossip, support each other, and build wonderful memories. A few people gave scratcher lottery tickets as their gift and there was a lot of helping each other figure out the trick to each different game. No big winners but there were some free tickets and $10.00 winners.
The boys had a good time together as usual.
After food and lottery tickets we moved to the living room for the gift exchange. I drew number 8 out of 9 but ended up with an amazing gift. Kay was number 9 and ended up with her gift, which happens some years, Some people have even picked their gift! I tend to buy something I know someone would want and give them hints that they may like it. DiAnn picked mine this year, as I suggested, and it was a year + of printed napkins I picked up throughout the year at The Christmas Tree Shoppe. They have wonderful seasonal napkins and other general printed ones that I love to have myself. But she has a big family and entertains a lot and I know she would be able to use them all.
After gifts we moved again, this time to the basement for my gift to them. They were able to pick what they wanted to decorate and I helped out where I could. But we all helped each other and I think everyone really enjoyed it.
Joan did two and I think everyone could have made two, there were a lot of them left over. I always make too much!
Mom sat with the boys when they were ready to join the fun. But they are old pros at these things. See the fire in the fireplace? It was nice down there with the fire going.
Eventually the crowd broke up and Heather and I stayed downstairs for a while and watched a movie with the kids. She got the green blanket as her gift and it is one of the super soft, silky blankets that you want to spend all day in.
After everyone left Baylor and I roasted marshmallows in our little fire. I love it and I think Baylor did too. We had some French Vanilla snowmen and stars which roasted up brown and puffy. And we had red and green marshmallows left over from decorating house.
Nothing better to end our day than sharing a fire and marshmallows with my little man.
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