And Second...

To Granny & Grandpa's house (my Mom & Dad).

Dad's candy cane. There's a great story that has to be told anytime there is someone new joining our family. With my nephew Keegan having his girlfriend Jen there we got to share the start of this wonderful tradition. 

When Tony, Mitzi & I were young we didn't have any 'extra' money to spend on gifts. But, us kids really wanted to get dad a gift. Mom found what we thought was a huge straight candy cane. It was the as big around as a quarter and probably 10" to 12" long and cost only $.25. It was perfect, dad loved peppermint, so that was our gift to him that year. 

Every year after that we got him a candy cane. As we could afford it we would get three, one from each of us. Then one year (probably close to 30 years ago) my sister called and told me about the huge candy cane she had found, and every year since one has been under Mom & Dad's tree. It's the first present opened. Dad goes to the kitchen takes a hammer to it, and the whole time we're opening present the bowl of peppermint pieces is passed around the room and shared with everyone!

I think everyone would be very disappointed if there wasn't a candy cane under the tree one year! I know I would miss the yummy peppermint ♥!

My brother Tony & his daughter Janie!

Looks like she loves her bucket of blocks!

My sister Mitzi with her youngest Avery!

Ali with his toy from Audrey, a "cupcake" with a candle! (She got that for him because Ali sings Happy Birthday with us whenever we sing it for birthday's... really he does!)

My nephew Keegan & his girlfriend Jen (Mitzi's 2nd kiddo)!

My niece's Cassidy (Mitzi's 3rd) & 

& Britainy (Mitzi's 1st) with their gift from their brother!

Janie with her new Polly Pockets.

Britainy's beau Mat! 

Bridget, Janie's momma!

Dad loves trains. Britainy & Mat got him a great gift!

Play Doh ice-cream....yum!

Jen loves the show ER,

The little girls both got an easel from Granny & Grandpa!

I didn't know that Mom & Dad were getting Janie & Avery easels, and we got them a Crayola creativity case. It had crayons, markers, colored pencils, water colors and pictures of Disney Princess' to paint or color. Worked out perfect.

Audrey wanted $, everyone was happy to fulfill her wishes!

See, more seasons of ER.

Well, I don't know how many seasons Jen started with at the beginning of the day, but now she has every season of ER!

Audrey knows her Grandpa very well, a Johnny Cash cd! 

More of the green paper!

Avery with her daddy's Andrea Bocelli!

There's a big smile...the xBox game she wanted!

Granny loves her "red" birds that visit the bird feeder in the backyard. Everyone know it! Audrey got her two little cardinal candles (I didn't get a good picture of it though) and Dad got her this!

I made individual cookie gift bags for everyone. Avery loved her cookies!

Of course, so did Janie!

Cousins! Audrey hiding her face, Cassidy relaxing!

She's such a cutie!

Audrey was so excited for Christmas to get here she didn't get any sleep! Well, on the 40 minute drive home     she fell asleep. You can see Aidan's reflection in the window. He's sitting in her lap. 

She was so tired, but revived when we got home and wanted to play her new xbox game!