Festivities -- Part 2

Christmas morning is a little different in our home. Most children get up when the sun comes up -- not the Bakers. Our children have NEVER gotten up much before 9. This year was no exception. I guess they know the presents aren't going anywhere so why mess up your precious sleep. We woke up around 9:30 but didn't have everything quite ready till around 10:15. Darnit I tried to have it all done but I had 1 thing left to do and that was the video camera ready. Well I just knew that I knew where it was so NO PROBLEMS, slap it on the tripod and away we go. NOPE, it wasn't there and Ray&I went on a hunt. SO, the kids stayed up in Liv's room watching the Disney parade on TV. Another tradition we have is the kids sleeping all in the same room on Christmas Eve. For several years we had the "girls dorm" and all 4 girls shared 1 room then we moved 13 years ago to this house and everyone had their own room. SO, that is when they started sleeping in the same room. It is very precious to see them all in 1 room. Of course Grant got a bed on the floor and the girls shared but it is a fun tradition. We have NO idea how this is going to work as they get married, HA! I am preparing them that their traditions are going to change so don't be rocked! Nothing stays the same then and I am preparing my heart for that too. This Christmas everyone but Grant got iphones from "santa" so nobody but him had a Santa gift out. OH, and Sarah already had her iphone but she went so over on her alloted amount of money that she didn't have anything out either. So we gave them the 10 min. alert which means go brush your teeth and look 1/2 way good for the video. The whole reason that they don't just jump out of bed and come a running is a few reasons. #1 I want them to all come together so the video and pix. can catch all their little faces and #2 when their spouses see the videos of EVERY year of their Christmas' - they won't have SO MUCH to laugh at. Ray's family videoed every Christmas and OH MY GOSH!! Their was 6 girls that didn't think ANYTHING about coming to the living room with the greasiest hair, hair standing straight up -- well years went on and Ray's Mom made a video for all 8 of them of every Christmas in a row, done to music. WELL, if you can imagine the laughs from boyfriends/husbands and then their own children at how BAD they all looked. SO, it was my intent to have them look, OK. No makeup allowed but "boyfriend looking" OK. They all came down and we had a VERY wonderful present opening time. Everyone was VERY pleased with everything so I was HAPPY. Ray gave me the same speech at the end, kids tell your Mom thanks because she worked hard to make everything perfect and search for what you wanted. I always say, kids Dad worked for it so thank him. Always the same speech - we are FUNNY! Someone always seems to get a gift that doesn't quite go over the way I thought. This year it was Ms. Sarah - she got a precious (to me) onesie that is camo/pink. I was thinking funny but practical. She is in KC where it is VERY cold and she is constantly COLD. SO, being the good Mom I try to be I went back to the good ol' onesie. That's what I put the kids in from birth in the winter time. You know, NO kid sleeps under covers. She laughed as she opened it but she immediately jumped up and put it over her baby pea poop green P.J.'S. I think the onesie was better then those ugly things but anyway. She looked precious in it and she wanted her pic. made in it so I think it was a 1/2 success. I think she will be THANKING me in another month when KC is BELOW freezing!! The morning was GREAT - Ray and HANNAH cooked biscuits, gravy, eggs and bacon. A good southern breakfast that will stick to our ribs until the Christmas night get together! Here a just 2 pix. of the morning.


After present time and breakfast many of us went to take naps. Bless Ray's heart - he had to go from 1 gift to the next with Grant but he loved that. BOY stuff is fun for Ray of course. Ray actually got Grant 3 of those helicopters that fly with a remote control for Grant, himself and Austin to play with - in the HOUSE! Oh well, it's fine. SO, we napped and our tradition for Christmas evening is to go to someone on my side of the families home for soup and dessert. It is a lot of the time at our house, this year it was at my little brothers house. I began making my world famous (NOT REALLY), baked potato soup. It was NOT world famous quality this year. My heart was NOT in it and it showed. I started late so it didn't get as thick and I FORGOT a couple of ingredients that always makes it over the top!! My precious nephew Luke humored me probably and had a couple of bowls. He actually wanted some to take home so I gladly gave him plenty. A couple of hrs. before we left for my brother's, Austin surprised Hannah and came to see her. It was a complete surprise to her because they had decided that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day would be spent with their families and they would see each other on Friday. They even exchanged gifts a few days before Sarah got home so Hannah wouldn't miss a whole evening with Sarah. They do their very best to honor each others family. It made her day of course and he stayed till we left to go to our get together and he then went with his tribe to a movie. Of course we got pix. so we will start with those and then the others are of our Christmas get-together!



AND NOW on to the Christmas Party!!!









So that was almost the end of the day!! We ended it after the party by going to the movies!! When there is something good to watch it is usually another 1 of our traditions - to go to the movies!! This year Ray was tired and Grant was tired (he stayed up till 2!!) so they came on home. After Austin's movie with his family he met us at the movie theater to see another movie. 1/2 of us went to Benjamin Button and the other 1/2 went to Marley and ME! It was a great way to end a great day!! Sarah, Liv and I saw Benjamin Button and it was LONG but good. SO, that completes our Christmas 2008 - OVER but not forgotten. I am happy to have all my children here - healthy, happy and loving the Lord. Till probably next year - but you never know!! Tomorrow we have Sarah's roommate Norma is coming in town for a visit for 4 days. Her sister is still in a coma and we are praying for her still but she is coming to spend a few days with us and we are HAPPY! On New Years Day Sarah's friend Adam is coming from KC. He is now all our friend but we are all excited to have him come and experience Texas for his 1st time. He will love it I'm sure!