Our Christmas Tour

When Justin and I got married we decided to rotate our holiday plans with both families. This year, we were to spend Christmas day with Justin's family in Florida. But I wanted to see my Mom also, especially because my brother was going to be in town this year and deployed next year. So Friday night (Dec. 19) we headed to Myrtle Beach for the weekend. Mom had just finished her last day of school for the break and was busy putting up more Christmas trees. And I do emphasize MORE Christmas trees, but we already had one up.....well, we actually already had 5 Christmas trees put up and decorated. But, she wanted on in each room. So we put up two more while we were there that weekend.

This one is my favorite non-traditional tree!

My brother, Dennis, was scheduled to come into town on Monday. Mom and I were SUPER excited! He is in the Army and based at Fort Bliss (El Paso, TX). We haven't see him since this summer when he had his last break. He is a tanker....I am sure there is a more formal term, but he is the guy the gunner on the tank. And since he wasn't there that weekend we visited, we were going to go back the weekend after Christmas to see him.


But in between, we had a road trip to take. Justin and I headed from Myrtle Beach to Clarksville, FL on Monday. Clarksville is in the middle on nowhere! Its the size of Effingham- no really, it is. The nearest sign of life is 30 minutes away....they have a Wal-Mart!! :) That's my husband! He drove the first half of the trip (4 1/2hrs). I drove the second half, I refused to drive his BIG truck through construction in Georgia.

We made it there Monday afternoon. The big excitement for this trip was that Justin and I were going to go hunting. Well, Justin was probably more excited than I was. He hasn't been hunting since he moved here and was itching to go. Justin's dad was going to take me. They went out right away the next morning, but I bowed out to hang out with Justin's sister, Jessica. But we all went Tuesday night. Hmmm, I don't really think camo flatters me - but Justin was excited!

Anyways, Justin sat in a tree stand in the field behind me and his dad. He saw three does and a 4-pt. He waited patiently for the buck to come in a good shooting range and gave up on the does. The does eventually came over into the field we were watching. I shot at one of them, but I missed. :( We went a couple more times the week, but nothing excited happened!

Thing I have Learned from Hunting:
1. I don't sit still.
2. If I am not moving, I am sleeping. (Morning is probably the best time to take my hunting.)
3. I don't sit still.
4. If I have to be quiet, I am going to find a way to make you laugh.
5. I don't sit still.
6. Shooting a rifle is fun- don't let the scope get close to your eye. (It didn't happen to me.)
7. I don't sit still.
8. Squirrells make funny noises when they are angry. It's a different noise than they usually make.
9. I don't sit still.
10. I now understand why people hunt...and if I could sit still, I might could really enjoy it.





Watching our nephew, Mason, experience his First Christmas was so much fun. He totally did not understand anything about it, but had so much fun. He got a red wagon and a truck from Santa. When you turn the key on the truck it says "Hi. My name is Mater....like tomater, but without the ta-. " How cute is that!!
Jessica, my sister-in-law, getting her most favorite present. Her new license plate. (From her favorite brother and sister-in-law!)It always a fun time visiting his family. We had such a great time spending this Christmas week with them!

We headed back on Friday and rested our heads at home in Florence briefly. The next day we were off to Myrtle Beach to see my Mom and brother.

Dennis had been spending the week reconnecting with high school friends, so it was no surprise that he was asleep when we got there Saturday. So naturally, like the good big sister I am, I went to wake him up! :) He doesn't like to have his picture taken, in fact, he HATES having his picture taken. But here are a few.



This picture shows the "surprise" he came home with this time....his tattoo. I was a little skeptical when he described it on the telephone, but its not so bad in person.
There is one more funny story regarding our Christmas.....
Growing up, Justin made "special" wrapping paper for his sister's Christmas presents. He would wrap them in duck tape. He found it amusing watching her try to get to her present. She hoped it would change when he met me, but he did the same thing last year. This year, he wrapped her present in duck tape and then had me wrap the present in wrapping paper.

But she stood up to him this year. She wrapped his present in duck tape, also. In fact, the bottom of his box was covered in duck tape. (Unfortunately, he always has a knife on him.)So they were even this year.

WELL.....

Justin and I wrapped almost all our present Thanksgiving weekend during the time my Mom was visiting. She must have shared the story with my brother over the past week...because....Justin got a little surprise this past weekend!!
My brother wrapped Justin's entire box with duck tape!! HA! HA!

~Jennie