Holiday Bowl Domination

Ok, so here's where things get a bit sketchy - and more random - in the post Christmas recap process. Apparently I just put my camera down and forgot about it once I returned to Texas so what I've mostly got are phone pics. This may be good for y'all, though, because it meant we're gonna cover a whole lot of material in a small amount of time. :-)

As soon as we got back to my parents' house, Tonto (and Rambo who had come along for the ride) grabbed his girls, picked up some Bush's chicken tenders and headed to BLORA for Nature in Lights.

We actually began going to this amazingly awesome light display when Taylor was just a wee tike. We hadn't been in a few years and they've added some items. All of us had a BLAST and it was perfect because there were very few people there at the time.

The snapshots are few because I really just wanted to soak it all in. And I was also really thankful to finally be celebrating the holiday with my peeps.

The next day was a big one as our Baylor Bears were taking on the UCLA Bruins in the Holiday Bowl. I devoted most of my waking hours to bowl-related projects during the month of December and could not wait to see these guys take the field and show the world what Baylor football is all about.

I immediately donned my game day shoes for the last time this season...

...while Taylor snapped on her uber cool new BU Survival Straps bracelet.

In case there's any doubt, this is my football mantra. At all times. Not just on game day.

I also donned all of my lucky clothing items (even the one only a handful of folks know about) and got ready for my parents to arrive as we were having dinner and opening gifts with them before the game.

After some (more) amazing gumbo (chicken this time), we opened gifts and watched the pregame together before they headed home to watch the game.

Tonto and I were nervous as cats. Theses guys, however, were a bit more relaxed.

In the end, our guys just dominated UCLA. It was an amazing performance and I could not have been more proud of the team. Good, good stuff.

As I was coming off the game euphoria (takes a while to wind down, y'all), I was going through my phone and found these pics. Perhaps we look more alike than I usually think?

Friday was spent watching more football and just being generally lazy. Tonto returned to work on Saturday and the girl headed to a friend's house while my parents and I went to the Lady Bears game against Southeastern Louisiana, which is my mom's undergrad alma mater.

One of my friends sold me (at a very generous price) his season tix for the game. Let's just say the seats were AMAZING.

As was the outcome. Unless, you know, you were hoping for a big upset.

The Sunday before New Year's was pretty calm as well. T was still at her friend's house so the pups and I chilled. And the sweet girl went home. So that wasn't exactly the highlight of the day but she was sooo happy to see her dad. :-)

Besides, it was time to prepare for Barkin' Ball to ring in the New Year. But I'll save that for tomorrow.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was, in my mind, exactly what it should have been - not hurried, full of good food, included a nap, and (best of all) ended with a sweet visit from family I hadn't seen in ages.

My girl and Maw Maw in the kitchen after a delightful lunch. Oh. My. Word.

After a nap (for some) and hanging out while checking social media (for others), my cousin and his sweet family came over along with his parents.

These may be some of my favorite pics that I've EVER taken, friends. Why? Because Tom and I grew up together. We spent almost every waking moment together for many summers. And these are our babies. Together. :-)

It really just doesn't get much better than this, y'all. I felt soooo blessed by this visit but soon it was time to head back to the Lone Star State. It was time to see my man, the four-legged kids, celebrate Christmas one more time, and cheer the Bears to victory in the Holiday Bowl.

But first there were a couple more pics to be taken...

...and lots of huge to be given. ;-)

On the Eve of Christmas

When I was growing up, Christmas Eve was huge. Bigger, in fact, than Christmas Day itself when in terms of activity. Maybe it's just a Louisiana thing but we always opened presents on Christmas Eve so the tree would be bare and ready for Santa to deposit gifts.

And then we always headed to the home of my grandparents' best friends (family, really) for seafood gumbo, more presents (before our families got HUGE), a bonfire (tradition there) and fireworks (to light Santa's way, of course).

In fact, there are many who build huge - and intricate - bonfires on the levee along the Mississippi River to light the jolly man's way. It's a big deal, y'all.

And so, though it had been much too long since I'd been in Cajun Country for Christmas, what I was looking forward to with much anticipation was Christmas Eve. And it did NOT disappoint.

We spent the morning preparing for Christmas dinner the next day but opened presents as a family in the early afternoon. I was soooo stoked to surprise my girl with a few things she had been wanting (but that her mean mom refused to buy for months) and I think she was genuinely shocked with a few.

 Then we all got dressed (doesn't T look gorgeous below?)  and headed to the McDonald home. Now things (and life) have changed a bit so the location is different but the people are the same. There are just more of us. And it was sooo good to reconnect with the people I grew up with, y'all. Did my heart more good than I can really explain in words.

And though I fell down (miserably) on the picture taking front at this particular time, this guy was the centerpiece. Adorable, isn't he? I kind of want one now for our gameroom so I can dress him 

seasonally.

After amazing food and fellowship, it was time to leave. But my cousin (more on him later) had told me about this awesome place - Messenger's Christmas Land - that we really wanted to check out. This place is fantastic, y'all. It's a home they transform with hand made displays (and a whole bunch of them) that each feature a nativity scene.

It's phenomenal and free. And they allow all these strangers to walk about their yard. Isn't that awesome? Honestly, one of the things I love about Louisiana is that life is different. Towns are small and everyone pitches in to help others...and invite the whole world over for things like this like it's nothing.

Don't get me wrong - I love Texas - but home is different. In the best way possible.

And, with that, I'll leave you with a ton of pictures. ;-)

Holiday Happenings

So..I'm back. And, yes, it's been quite a while but I was off work for a little over two weeks and just wanted to enjoy the time off while hanging with some of my favorite peeps. I can assure you both of those goals were met. And then some. :-)

So you'll have to forgive me but I'm backing it up quite a bit. My first day off happened to be my sweet mom's birthday. Since Dave was on call, we couldn't leave Waco but she and my dad came up so we could celebrate her special day.

The next day was our family Christmas with the Bowers clan. We did a white elephant Christmas and - hands down - Taylor and I got the best gifts available. :-)

That night Taylor and I packed because were heading to Louisiana with my parents the next day. But we did get in some sweet fam time with movies (one of which was great, the other was creepy and we didn't finish it) while I wrapped presents for our upcoming adventure.

After church Sunday morning, Dave drove us to Belton where we met up with my parents. He had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but encouraged us to go ahead and go to Louisiana and enjoy the holiday. Love. Him.

Did not love my mother's cat draping herself around my neck all that much, though...

I had not celebrated Christmas in Cajun country for quite some time and, honestly, it was so good for my heart. We had been trying to make some big decisions (more coming later but it deserves its own, well-thought out post) and I really got a lot of clarity in the woods.

Isn't it beautiful? There really isn't anything like going home.

In addition to our regular crew, Uncle Gilbert came to stay while we were out of town as well. Obviously he made himself at home.

And we also had this precious girl. Who I miss. Greatly. :-)

Such a sweetheart, no?

So that's the condensed version of our holiday happenings leading up to Christmas Eve. So much fun and there was so much more to come. Stay tuned. :-)