Holidays Holidays Holidays

No one loved the holidays like Doug.  If you knew him you know what I am talking about.  Really all of our family knows that Doug was the center of all holidays.  Let's start with Thanksgiving; he wanted everyone in the family to be together.  We enjoyed having this holiday at our home.  I love to set a table and cook.  We would have everyone over and of course Betty Ann would bring 20 different dishes and 3-4 cakes with her.  The kids would run around like crazed animals while the men and Sissy watched football all day.  Good times.

Doug and Parker opening their stockings on Christmas morning.

Now Christmas was the BIG DADDY of holidays for Doug.  It was all about Santa Claus.  We would argue every year about how Parker would receive his gifts from Santa.  Doug would insist that all gifts come from Santa Claus and I was raised that Santa brought just a few and mom and daddy gave the rest.  Doug always won.  (I would always ask how his buddies felt when they would see Doug's 20 gifts from Santa and they got 2-3 gifts from Santa?  He would respond by saying "I guess Santa just likes me more.")

As I prepare to host my first Thanksgiving since Doug's passing I am excited and full of joy as I remember how much joy Doug brought to the holiday season.  His heart was always in the right place.  Parker loves his family and there is really no toy that he would ever want if he had to trade time spent with the people he loves.  I admire that about him.  I am sure that Brady will learn to love this time of year too.  

Steve grew up not celebrating holidays due to his families religious beliefs.  Boy did he hit the mother lode when he met us!  The past year had been full of firsts for all of us.   We have celebrated every holiday with Steve and his parents; Christmas, 4th of July, Birthdays, Halloween.  It has been awesome to see them enjoy the fellowship and memories we are making during these special times.  

 This is Parker with Santa on the Polar Express.  He thought we were really going to the North Pole and was so disappointed when he saw the trailer park at the end of the ride.  We laughed so hard.

Parker and Brady pose in front of the tree 2009. 

This holiday season remember to create memories with those you love by Living Life Out Loud.  Happy Holidays!