I decided to break this update into two parts because it has been awhile since I last updated. So here goes Part 1 with all the holidays.
This was the first Christmas that me or the kids have ever spent away from my side of the family and it was very strange. It is just to much for me to travel at the current time so it was a Christmas in Louisiana this year!
It was hard on everyone not to spend the holidays with my family so we tried to make this Christmas a special one for the kids. We also did this in part because for some of my hubby's side of the family it may be their last. Christmas Eve we had dinner at Granny Sue's house and exchanged gifts. Everyone had a great night and Maw Maw topped it off by letting everyone in on her "Senior Year" of high school and her college plans. If you can't guess my husbands Grandmother has dementia. For any of you that do not know what dementia is, here is a link to explain it all. http://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp
Gag gift of the night was my brother-in-law getting my hubby some men's string bikini undies! It was quite a laugh. One of the best things of the night was watching Maw Maw with the kids when they were all opening presents, she was like a kid again...Greatness!
The evening winded down and it was a mad rush to beat Santa to the house. Kids had a secret sleepover in big sisters room so Santa could deliver their big gifts. Hubby and I spent quite some time zoning out to Pink Floyd putting together desks & chairs. End result was a good one...no leftover parts!
Christmas morning was so surreal. It was quiet in the house except for the pitter patter of little feet and giggling. We lit a fire and the five of us found a spot and opened our stockings from Santa. Then it was time for the big reveal! We took the kids to the hallway and let them storm their rooms to find their new computers, desks & chairs. They were ecstatic!!
After all that commotion it was time for PRESENTS!!!! It was very odd not to have 20+ people in a room all opening presents at once. It was calm, with christmas tunes in the background and I actually had time to take pictures of everyone opening their gifts, it was nice. To say the least EVERYONE had a great Christmas at the Raccuglia household.
Presents unwrapped and in all of our new threads we headed to Granny's house down the street. We ate like kings and then Granny Sue decided to make some pralines!! She taught me and her BFF how to make them. Can't wait to give those a go, sooo yummy!! We hung out while my hubby and his brother put on the new fishfinder/GPS on the boat and all of his other new goodies. Kids played in the front yard and I got some great shots of them all together. I loved seeing them play like they were all little again, priceless!
After Christmas my parents came down to help me and we had a whole new Christmas again! The kids were so happy to get even more stuff from my family. We goofed off and had a blast watching the kiddos open their gifts all over again!
New Year's Eve we hung out with the neighbors and shot off a few fireworks. This was not the greatest of days considering it had been raining all day and all night and was still raining when we were trying to do fireworks, but we had some drinks & laughs and it was all good!
Here are some pictures from our last day at the park in 2013!
Now the holidays are over and a new year is upon us. This will be a year of great perseverance for me and difficult journey. My head is held high and I am ready to embrace what comes my way.
Look out 2014 here I come!!
~Amanda
Look out 2014 here I come!!
~Amanda
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