Adventures of Jen and Coco: Christmas 2011

I hate to sound all cliche but I'm going to go ahead and say it. The older I get, the more I realize time with family is precious and special. I will also share something with you out there in blog land...the older I get, the more emotional I get around holidays...birthdays, Christmas, and Easter especially. That being said I will go ahead and admit I was a hot mess over the Christmas holiday. It started about 2 weeks before-when the decorating started, and the television programs-like Charlie Brown Christmas started popping up on TV. Without fail, every sappy news story, every church program on TV, even every cartoon...tears ensued. Mom says its because I'm turning 30 this year. I told her to stop reminding me of that.

But the holiday is touching isn't it? The family time, the sense of good will toward men and even strangers, and the celebration of the birth of Christ. That stuff is special! I'm not the only one crying my eyes out at the drop of a hat right? Poor Darren. Lucky for him I don't think New Years will be too emotional...he'll just have to prepare for more happy tears come April...wedding time!

We were fortunate enough to have SIX stops to make Christmas day this year-my dads, my moms, Darren's moms, Grammys, Darren's dads, and Darren's grandparents...whew what a fun and busy day! Without further ado here are some of our Christmas photos-please excuse the blurriness of some...I am trying to learn to use only manual mode on my camera and my lack of skills certainly do show at times. Merry Christmas!!!

The chaos that is at moms-6 big kids can fill a room quickly

Michael had his own section in the corner!

Coco kept guard of me and Darren's gifts-I was more interested in everyone else's gifts

Not sure why I was so interested in watching them...it was a bunch of hunting and ski stuff-the anti Jen!

Love this one!

I consider this one by mom a success. In manual mode, in mom's hands, this could have been bad. Ignore Darren's eyes haha

Love to see that smile!

Poor Dylan-he sat beside me where I gave him a new do, and the flu! You're welcome.

That weird look on my face? Me about to burst into tears...again. Over a stand mixer! Get it together crazy!

Much better. Now my siblings are teasing me....hahhaa

He thought I was just taking a pic of Rocky-but doesn't Rocky look sweet here?

Sam helps Coco with her stocking each year, suddenly she's the most popular person in the room.

Coco's lovely new coat!

The massive pile of gifts at Darren's moms-I told her it reminded me of the Grinch's sleigh all piled up! PS check out the left of the pic-look who is digging in the Reese Cup cookies again...Darren... :)