Day 15 - Christmas Day!

Christmas Day this year was a little different for my Husband and I.  We had planned we would be spending it alone since we already celebrated Christmas with his side of the family on Thanksgiving.   More than anything we were looking forward to our day alone and were planning on making a Ham and enjoying our lazy day.  However, when my Uncle called me to once again invite us over for Christmas Eve he also asked what we were doing on Christmas Day and wanted to know if we would like to come over for lunch.  We of course said yes and were so excited that they even thought of us and that we actually did have plans for Christmas (especially spending it with family). 

So around 11:00 we headed back out to Prospect Heights to spend the afternoon with my family.  We did not know what to expect as we have never been at their house for Christmas.  The beginning was pretty much the same, hang out and eat appetizers until Lunch.  Lunch was filled with AMAZING food once again! 

After lunch everyone who wanted to play cards was told to bring $5 with them.  Apparently this is a yearly tradition at my Uncle’s house with everyone participating in the game 99.  When asked if I knew how to play this game followed by a no, everyone was in shock as I found out this was a game my Grandma and Grandpa played all the time and taught everyone they knew.  No one could believe I didn’t know how to play.  Mind you, I was probably 11 years when my Grandma and Grandpa passed away.  I used to spend every summer at their house in Florida and was probably considered their favorite grandchild.  I REALLY miss them a lot and think about them so much, so when playing this game I really put a lot of my heart into it.

With 15 people playing in the game I was probably the 4th to last person to be eliminated.  In the end, my cousin Thomas won and walked away with $75.  It was so much fun!!

After the game we enjoyed dessert and sat around talking to everyone a little while longer.  I learned that my Aunt and Uncle were putting their house on the market the first of the year and are looking into buying a Condo.  I am really saddened by this as my yearly tradition of going to their house on Christmas Eve has been there since I was born.  I honestly don’t think I have missed one year of being there.  Deep down inside I keep hoping they will change their minds but in the end they have to do what is best for them.  I hope someone takes over their tradition and continues to invite us over.  Makes me really sad to think about it!

Because we were so busy on Christmas I hardly took any pictures!  Below are a few of the ones I did take!

Paige listening to music and despising me for taking her picture.

Jamming away!

Morgan an I playing with her new Nook.

Thomas listening to music on his new headphones!

Andrew took over my camera and tried taking some artistic photos.  An ornament on the tree!

Zoe laying out by the back door!

My cousin Sabrina and her mom Dana!

Brownies.  This one turned out pretty good!

You can’t have a Christmas without the Christmas Story!

Christmas at my Uncle’s house was a great day.  I am so happy we once again got to spend the day with family.  I am so thankful for them! 

Driving home from my Uncle’s house the hubby and I decided to stop by a couple of places to look at Christmas lights.  Stay tuned tomorrow to read all about it!