McCabe Family Christmas

12 Grandchildren

8 Aunts and Uncles (including my parents)

2 Grandparents

1 Husband of a Grandchild (Michael)

EQUALS = 23 People !!!!!!!

And I love everyone of the more than words..

Here is a picture of all 12 children ranging from 4 to 29 (I am the oldest by 10 years) with our wonderful Grandparents. If you have been reading my blog you will remember the beach trip we go on every year. As special of a trip that is, McCabe Family Christmas is even better. We have been celebrating Family Christmas in the HUGE town of Fayette, Alabama forever. (side note... do not worry if you have never heard of this huge town of Fayette... it is really an extremely small town in North Alabama).

Uncle Rick, Mac, and Uncle John Nathan (how excited do they look !!)

LeeAnn looking through the presents. All the kids are always looking for theirs !!

Johnny and Michael

Mac and I
Aunt Donna Kay, My Momma, and Aunt Daphne

Mac, Granddaddy, Uncle Rick, Michael, Fuller, and Uncle Bill (or as the kids call him "Uncle Bull") right before all 23 of us made a circle and blessed the food.

Uncle Rick, me, and Uncle Bill (I was standing on my tip tip toes for this picture)

Mac and Hannah
Granddaddy and Uncle Rick watching all the kids play outside
Years ago when Michael and I were first dating he had come home for Christmas with me to meet our crew. Sometime during that day while outside he noticed that my Grandparents backyard was huge and perfect for a game of football, so later that day he asked who wanted t0 play. The next year one of my cousins said something about playing the "Mullen Bowl" and that name stuck. It has been played every year since and is now a family tradition. And is still called "The Mullen Bowl" !!!!
This year Uncles, Guy Cousins, and even some of my little girl cousins jumped in !! Like always I just stand to the side and play photographer.
The Game was a success and no one got hurt. No score was keep so all were happy !! Every year after the game is over I take a group picture of all who played in that years game.
Top: Fuller, Michael, Mac, Conner, John Nathan, Bill

Bottom: Will, Sarah Winston, LeeAnn, Johhny, Hannah, Rhea, Daniel, and Cole

Granddaddy and I before we went in to open gifts

Mother and Daddy as the Grandkids were playing elf and handing out the gifts

Rhea, What did you get ???

Conner got a Red Vest and Mac got a Camo Auburn Shirt

Hey Daniel, That football will come in handy with our family

Mac's Football team is the Fort Walton Beach Vikings... So when Will opened up this Viking hat, Mom just had to try it on, which means I just had to take a picture.. Go Vikings !!!

Somebody unwrap this present, it sure is cute !! It looks a little like Will !!

With all the boys in our family.. wrestling is a past time...... Conner giving Johnny and Hannah a ride !!!

Crash... Boooo.. That ride did not last very long Conner !!

Granddaddy after he opened up one of the presents from us !!
Family and Friends are a Gift from God... that is what this platter says... I know my Grandmother believes that, so we knew she would love it !!
After we opened gifts it was time to show everything off.
Mac showing Conner and Cole the picture from this past football season that he gave Grandmother and Granddaddy.
Johnny you do need to be reading a book full of so many curse words.. Words like "roll tide"... From the devil I tell you !!!
Another family tradition is Green Punch. Grandmother Pat Pat makes it every year in a big bin and we finish it all up... quickly... Everyone loves it and eats it right up !!
A little Louisiana Point while eating Green Punch !!!

Our families favorite thing to do... Just hang out and spend time together !!
Will, Johnny, and Hannah on the outside swing!!!
Uncle John Nathan showing Hannah and Johnny how to use Johnny's new watch.. The watch took pictures.. OOHHH I love pictures, maybe I need that !!

23 people = craziness

But these 23 people = love !!!

Words can't describe how important my family is to me, but I hope these pictures will help tell the story.

One Wedding and Two Christmas'

One Wedding and Two Christmas' is exactly what this past weekend consisted of...

It all started on Friday. One of Michael's great friends from college, Patrick Jones, was getting married and asked Michael to be a groomsmen. The wedding was in Opelika/Auburn. Patrick had the guys on a tight schedule (my type of guy)... The groomsmen were all staying at the Hotel and Conference Center so I dropped Michael off there on Friday afternoon and went shopping.. LOVE IT !!! I checked into my hotel and got ready for the Rehearsal Dinner.

Michael and I (yep that is us) before we walked into the Dinner !!

Russell is one of Michael's Best Friends (he was his best man at our wedding) and was also a groomsmen. I know Michael loved seeing all these guys. They were his best friends at Auburn and are still very close.
Patrick and Michael on Wedding Day.. Don't they looked so Handsome !!
Michael and I before I went into the church

The Groomsmen as the Bride was walking down the aisle
Patrick and Amy right before bring announced Man and WifeMichael, Patrick, and Travis at the Reception

Some of the Groomsmen at the Reception

I am going to be honest... I loved being in Auburn and being able to enjoy it without one zillion people there.. But even more than that I loved seeing Michael all dressed up in a tux.. He looked so handsome and made me think of our wedding day.. What in the world that was almost 6 years ago, but my man still looked hot in a tux !!

Saturday night after the reception we headed to Prattville for Christmas number one. Michael's Sister, Stacey, and her family are moving to St Louis and stopped by for a quick Christmas on their way there.

Sam, Stacey's husband, with his Florida Sweatshirt that we got him.. He loves the Gators as much as Michael loves Auburn.. So as long as we get him something that has to do with Florida he will love it. And since they are moving from the heat of Tampa to the snow of St Louis, I think a sweatshirt will be needed.
Stacey with one of the gifts we got her. It's a perfume bottle (i loved it, in fact.. I think I may be getting one too)
Out of all the presents we got Alexis the Tinkerbell Lip gloss was her favorite.
Here is Alexis showing her " Dar-Dar" Grandmother the Lip gloss.

I hate that it was such a short visit, but glad we got to spend time with Stacey, Sam, and Alexis..

Sunday we woke up and drove to Fayette, Alabama (small town about 45 minutes north of Tusculoosa, where my parents grew up), Home to McCabe Family Christmas !!

I am one of 12 cousins, plus aunts,uncles, and grandparents.... that all equals craziness and many pictures.. So Christmas #2 will be my next post !!!

What 8 hours looks like !!

Have you ever wondered what more than 8 hours actually looks like.. Well I have a picture to show you....
Here is more than 8 hours of wrapped presents !!!
More than 5 hours on Saturday
Around 2 hours on Tuesday night
Around 1 hour on Wednesday night
Around 30 minutes on Thursday night

As I thought about all the time I spent wrapping presents and tying bows, then I looked under the tree at the many presents.. I thought.. this is blog material...
So I took this picture, because as we know.. Jessa Law says every blog must have a picture..
I look at this picture and think... I thought a picture is worth a million words, SO NOT TRUE !!
This picture does not even come close to showing of all the pretty presents (more than 8 hours worth) under our tree.. I took around 10 pictures.. wishing and hoping the next would be better. No such luck !! You are just going to have to take my word for it.. There is so many presents there and they are ALL wrapped so pretty..... (are they hiding under each other, the pile is very big.. must be).... is this blog a flop because the pictures suck ??? NAH !!!!!More than 8 hours just so our presents look pretty... Is it worth?
The jury is still out on that one !!

Ornament Swap for the Lifegroup Girls

Last Tuesday Ashley held an Ornament Swap at her house for the girls in our entire lifegroup. Most were able to come, but we missed the ones that couldn't.

Ashley had her house decorated lovely and the food was great. She went to WAY to much trouble.

We mingled, ate, and then played Dirty Santa with the Ornaments that everybody brought.. I love Dirty Santa, in my opinion it is not a real Christmas Party unless that game is played !!!

Cortney, Rachel, and Martha

Me, Bethany, Martina, Maghan, and Lanie as we are eating all the yummy food.

Mannin, Laura, Me, Bethany, Martina, Lanie, Ashley and Rachel up top!

Kinnery, Cortney, Martha, Maghan

Martha, Cortney, Ashley during our Dirty Santa Ornament SwapLanie about to open the gift she choose
Maghan showing off the ornaments that she stole
Cortney brought it, Martina opened it, Cortney stole it, Martina stole it back and got to keep it.. Yep you read that correct !!
Martina brought it, Ashley opened it and loved it, Martina decided she loved it too and stole it, Ashely stole it back and got to keep it (and that is Maghan taking a picture in the background) !!
Kinnery, Martha, and Me showing off our ornaments. Martha STOLE my ornament and got to keep it. Ok so I also stole it from Mannin, but Martha stealing it from me was much worse. But I love the ornaments I ended up taking home.

There was a LOT of stealing going on in our Dirty Santa Game.. but it all ended up great in the end. With all the cute ones to picked from, no one went home unhappy !!

I loved getting together with our lifegroup girls.

Thank you Ashley for hosting such a great party !!!