Thanksgiving night, lighting the Christmas lights at Moultrie's Courthouse on the Square
This year's Christmas festivities were fast, fun, and frenzied. Unfortunately, I had to work on Christmas Eve until 1:00. But as soon as I was home from work, we loaded up all the presents and headed for Cartersville. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera along for our Christmas weekend in Cartersville because of our rush out the door from Moultrie, but I'll gladly show pictures that others took! We drove straight to my parents' house where we dropped off Vespa so she could rest up for Santa's mid-night visit. Then, we drove straight to my grandpa's house for our traditional Christmas Eve gathering.
My tabletop centerpiece, arranged just in time for the Teller Christmas Gift Exchange and Dinner Party
Papa's front yard was covered in his traditional white wooden reindeer, and accented by lots of lights. Papa had a tiny tabletop tree this year, topped by a countrytastic Santa Claus, speckled with bass fish ornaments and sprinkled with white lights. We had our usual spoiling of Trisha and Kristen by Leslie and Papa. Among many gifts, I opened a beautiful black pearl necklace from Leslie, and then a set of pearl earrings from Papa which match a long pearl necklace he gave me last year for Christmas. Once 10:30 or 11:00pm came around, it was definitely time for Carlton and me to head back to my parents' house for some much needed sleep. I was exhausted!
Our Christmas tree, cut down at the tree farm by Carlton himself!
On Christmas morning, my sister and I woke up according to our usual Christmas morning ritual: at the crack of dawn. The sun wasn't even up yet! After we walked the pups, it was time to open all the presents that Santa had magically brought in the middle of the night. (Yes, Santa still comes to our house!) Carlton and I were overwhelmed by all the great gifts we were given! Some of my favorites were the new Shark steam mop, some sweater sets and cardigans, a new pair of snazzy shoes, and gift cards for buying home decor. Carlton racked up on new shirts for work as well as gift cards for games and dining out, buy his favorite gift by far was from my dad: an automatic shooting Nerf gun complete with tons of ammo and even a shield! We gave my mom a new travel cosmetics bag, and we gave my dad a 6 month subscription to Netflix to try out. By 9:30, we had inhaled our once-a-year treat of my mom's amazing coffee cake and were on our way for a second Christmas morning with Carlton's parents and Grandmama.
Two new tree ornaments, and they're two of my most favorite!
Carlton and I both racked up again on excellent gifts from his parents. Carlton opened more collared shirts for work, a nice pair of Smith&Wesson sunglasses, and some cold, hard cash. I opened up some more beautiful, professional sweaters that got me excited about going back to work, a new set of bamboo knitting needles, a beautiful set of table linens from Grandmama, and a luscious fleece king-size heated blanket for our bed. Score!!! We gave Carlton's dad a sleep wireless mouse for his livingroom recliner netbook internet surfing, and Carlton's mom and Grandmama got matching handmade jewel earrings. Surrounded by boxes and bows and crumpled paper, Carlton and I collapsed into a Christmas morning coma... until it was time to meet my parents and drive through the Christmas white snow to Kennesaw's Imax 3D cinema to watch Tron.
That night we went back to Carlton's parents' house where we played with his little cousins Hannah and Justin, opened presents with them, and had some delicious chicken pot pie made by Vicki. Hannah loved her Ribbon Dancer, and Justin couldn't wait to play with Hannah using the new walkie-talkies we got him!
One of the two wreaths that framed our sliding doors which lead out to the back porch, fashioned with a glittery reindeer!
My favorite gift to give to baby SJ was something made by hand over a number of nights. I sat, studied my computer, and picked out what I thought to be the most darling (EVER!) little baby boy's sweater vest. I picked out yarn, sat on the sofa, and just knitted my little heart into that sweater vest. I would ooooh and aaaaah over it every time I'd stop and look it over. Of course, I had to take time away from knitting when I randomly decided to paint my living room and dining room, as well as when I made intricate plans for a Christmas dinner party at the house. But I got straight back to work and finished sewing the snaps on the shoulder of that vest the morning little SJ came over to open it from its gift box. He was so excited, he vowed to wear it for his upcoming professional pictures! Auntie Trisha can't wait to see the vest on that cute little Hambone!
It wasn't long after that last splurge of opening gifts (only 2:00!) that Carlton and I loaded up the car and headed back home to Moultrie where we collapsed into the bed and napped. Christmas weekend was exhausting and hectic, but it was so much fun to share the white Christmas holiday with our families!
