Crack the Code...and other traditions

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Every year for as long as I can remember my mom has come up with a code for our gifts...this way we can't shake a box with our name on it to see what might be inside. This has developed into a tradition for our family and one that has been lots of fun. Early on I'm sure it was easy to come up with some sort of code for our gifts, but as the years have gone by I'm pretty sure it has gotten a little harder for her, especially now that we've added some members to the family. Yet somehow she still manages to come up with a code. My mom is seriously creative...the box usually has a number on it but that number has a certain meaning. Then when it comes time to open gifts she gives us clues to help us crack the code. She's done everything from the number of letters in our name to our interests, and this year it had to do with where we live and if we were a boy or girl...so I was Hurst Girl...count the letters and I got the gifts with the number 9 on them. It's such a fun tradition and one I will always remember.

The weather got so bad Christmas Even that our plans for that night were cancelled. So Scott and I stayed in and had a fun evening together. I made us dinner and we ate off my Mema's china. This was so special for me because whenever we would go over to Mema's for Christmas we would always eat dinner on her china. She got sick several years ago and before she passed away she asked me if there was anything of hers that I wanted. I immediately said "your china." Fortunately no one else wanted it and so her 20 piece china set went to me. (oh the pregnancy hormones are in full force these days and now I'm crying...this has been happening all weekend.) It meant so much to me to be able to use some of my Mema's china for a Christmas Even dinner with my husband.

As I close, I'd like to leave you with a few pictures from my Christmas:

These two pictures are of a house that we pass by going to my parent's house...I love this house at Christmastime because the decorations are unbelievable...as you can see they decorate every part of their yard and even the big tree. It makes me laugh every time but I still love it!











































These last three are of 1) me and my sweet nephew, Tex, 2) my two dogs, Beckham and Maverick, checking out the snow, and 3) our family.


Hope you all have a Happy New Year!
Cass