Christmas Recap

Ahhh, Christmas is over...thank goodness! It is exhausting driving to so many places in only a few days.

We started off at Mark's mom's house on Friday night. Trent handled the three hour car ride much better than I did! He watched his videos the entire time while I complained about a sore back :) On Saturday, we went to Mark's family's Christmas party and Trent had a blast. He got to play with a whole bunch of kids and the little girls at the party doted on him like no other. He wanted nothing to do with Santa, who just so happened to stop by the party. Trent merely wanted to look at him from afar and he even offered Santa a cookie but there was no way that he was going to sit on Santa's lap. The party was fun as usual and it was nice to see Mark's family.

We celebrated Christmas with Mark's family on Sunday morning since we weren't going back to his mom's for Christmas. Mark's family got all of Thanksgiving so it was only fair that my family got Christmas, right? Right! So, the gift exchange was fun and it brought me so much happiness to see Trent rip presents open and smile when he saw something neat.

As we were leaving Mark's mom's house, I received a text from my little brother's girlfriend Tanya who sent over a picture of her hand with a big 'ol sparkler on her ring finger. Gabriel finally popped the question and my parents and I could not be more thrilled. We love our little Tanya and are so happy that she is officially going to be part of the family!

We then made our way over to my parents house which is about an hour from Mark's mom's house. In once sense, it's nice that they live so close but in another it is such a pain because we are expected to hit up both houses on every trip and it is exhausting! After all, we are the one's who have to load the kid and the dog's up every trip and go back and forth. It feels like we never get to spend quality time with each family because we always have to cut it short and go visit the other family. Mark hates it and he swears that this is the last Christmas we are doing down in the Bay. Anyhow, we got to my parents house and did Christmas with my Aunt, Uncle and grandpa on Sunday night (right after the infamous dog vs. Trent incident occurred). I was so excited to see Gabe and Tanya and to check out her ring which I had only seen via the pics that Gabe sent me when he was designing it and it is just beautiful! He did such a great job designing it.

On Christmas Eve, we went to my aunt's house in Orinda and did Christmas with my dad's entire side, which is pretty big; he has four sisters alone! My Aunt Marie and cousin Ashely made this really cute board where everyone could put their big events coming up in 2013. Obviously, Gabe and Tanya have their wedding (their shooting for October or November). My cousin Erinn and her fiancee, Kevin, are getting married in October. My other cousin Ian and his partner/new fiancee, Rocky are moving from New York City to New Orleans and opening up a restaurant. They asked for ideas for the name of their new place and Mark thought of one when we got back home...Rocco's Tacos (a little play on Rocky's name....anyhow, I thought that was cute). Mark and I are having baby number two in May. Point being, there are big events coming up in the next year. Trent was tired and kind of a monster so it was an early night.

When we got back to my parents house, Mark and Gabe put a car together for Trent. I thought it was only take them about five minutes but I was wrong! Even though it took a long time, it was worth it because Trent LOVES it! He rode/sat in that little car all of Christmas day! It was so cute. It took us hours to unwrap all of the gifts because there is a ridiculous amount of presents. Every year, we tell each other that we are not going to go overboard, yet each year, it looks like there are more presents than the year before. My family truly is blessed. Mark made gin fizzes and we ate our traditional egg rolls, crab sandwiches and mini pizzas...how odd is that? We go from tamales and rice and beans on Christmas Even to appetizers on Christmas day but that's our families thing and we love it. After all of the presents were unwrapped and my brothers went to their own houses, my parents, Mark, Trent and me all took a nice long nap! Mark stayed in his pajamas all day long and we watched Christmas Vacation. It was so relaxing and PERFECT! I could not have asked for anything more.

Although it took us five hours to drive home yesterday, rather than the usual three (chains were required and we were lucky enough to get behind every snow plow imaginable), we enjoyed the drive and just laughed and talked. I love my family and feel so lucky to be a part of it. All in all, there wasn't too much drama which is all you can really ask for this holiday season. I could go into what little drama there was but why ruin a nice holiday recap?! Hehe.

 I hope everyone's holiday was enjoyable!