I hope you had a Merry CHRISTmas!

It's been a while since I've blogged. I've been too busy doing absolutely nothing. Since exams have been over, most days I've slept a minimum of 13 hours. To a med student, it really is the most wonderful time of the year! Anyway, I just thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures of Christmas. But before that, I just have one thing to say. Christmas is about JESUS. Not about being politically correct. It is NOT a secular holiday. If you don't believe in the birth of Christ, you have no reason to celebrate Christmas. So if you aren't interested in celebrating or seeking Christ during this time, mind your own business. And if I hear one more story about protesters trying to take nativity scenes or other religious elements out of Christmas, I am going to go postal on somebody. You don't like it, ignore it. It is not hurting you. I don't celebrate Buddhist holidays or Hindu, Muslim, or Jewish holidays, but I also don't go around trying to stop people from celebrating the true meaning of their holidays. Last time I checked, this was AMERICA. And last time I checked, that was the point of the founding of this country. Freedom of religion, speech, etc. etc. etc. Ok. You get it. Moving on.

We started off Christmas break with the Tacky Christmas party in Jackson. It's a fundraiser for the Magnolia Speech School. Please note that I'm wearing a moo moo... Love it.

See that picture of Katie and I in those white nightgowns? I don't think you can really see it here, but I think we look like vampires or dead children in a horror movie. We're really pale, our hair is messy, and we're not really smiling. I picked it out of the pile of pictures to put on display myself. I like the creepiness. 

I

I love these things... I think they're hilarious. 

Every year Katie and I each get a new ornament. This was my very first ornament.

And my most recent ornament. Roll Tide!

The stocking I've had since birth. My favorite part is my name: glued-and-glittered. My mom used to always forget to fill our stockings, so Christmas mornings she would stuff our smallest present down in it. I don't have a picture of the stocking that I have at my daddy's house, but he was very reliable in his stocking-stuffing. Candy candy candy. Always.

I like this picture because Oscar Bob snuck in at the last second with his hedgehog.

While you may think Occabob is posing for his Olan Mills portrait, he's really grunting at me so that I will throw his ball, which is laying at my feet. He's also a bit irritated that we tied Christmas present ribbons and ornaments around his neck. He's dang cute though, huh? 

Christmas morning hot chocolate.

A few of my cousins on my mom's side of the family. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera during my dad's side of the family Christmas. I have about a million wonderful cousins on both sides. I'm very lucky to have such a [huge] great family. 

I think this is my favorite picture ever of my sister. She is so happy about that dirty Santa gift!! I'm stealing it and wearing it to next year's Christmas party. Fo. Sho.

My cousin Ashley. I almost dropped my camera and this was the result. I thought it was a cool picture!

On my dad's side, we draw names. On my mom's side, we play dirty santa. This year, I won a little hand-held massager thing, which Matt termed "pocket spa." I think I had about 6 different things at some point or another. Everyone kept stealing from me! At the very end, I had these amazing, candy-cane colored, shea butter-infused SOCKS. It was my mamaw's backup gift (ie, someone forgot theirs), so there was also $5 in it. Mamaw has been sticking $5 bills in everything from letters she sent while we were at camp to dirty santa gifts. She always says it's "coke money." I just think that's funny. Anyway, my cousin Ryan, who is several years older than me, STOLE MY SOCKS because he wanted the $5! I pouted about it and tried to run away with my socks, but he got them. Later, he gave the socks to Matt and told him to give them to me later. I guess sometimes you just really need five bucks. Thanks Ryan :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Happy New Year!