It's a Coon Family Christmas

This past weekend, my mom's side of the family celebrated a Coon Christmas in full Coon style!  If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know how much fun we have when our family gets together for any occasion.  This was no different!  Mama, Kristin, Lee, Russ, and I arrived Saturday night.  We spent our night at The Bulldog and spent the night in the hotel next door.  We had a great time!

The original plan was for my grandfather's church to come caroling to the nursing home.  Then, we were going to have Christmas in the nursing home's sun room.  I was fully prepared for heartwarming and hilarious tales from our new adventure.  There was only one problem: the nursing home was quarantined because of a stomach virus going around.  So, we went with plan B!  What better way to start a family Christmas party than with lunch at the one and only Cracker Barrel!?

Kristin and Lee playing a rousing game of Checkers

My early  bird of a mother was quite concerned with the timing situation.  Kristin, Lee, Russ, and I were to arrive at 11:30 to put our table of 12 on the list.  Mama would follow shortly after with Pops in tow.  The rest of the clan was to arrive by noon.  Well, in reality, Mama and Pops beat us all there.  Imagine that!  Another problem: Everyone in our party had to be present in order to be seated.  Hmmm...

Me, Pops, and Mama

Let's see if I can get this straight...

Daddy and Dustin came in from Corinth Sunday morning.  Uncle Howard and Aunt Patsy had to run to grab some last minute things for our now-moved Christmas celebration at their house to avoid the stomach virus epidemic.  My cousin came in from Florence after searching all over for scissors to wrap our gifts.  That didn't happen, in case you were wondering.  Her husband had taken the scissors with him.  Jack, her husband, joined us straight from deer camp.  So, you can see why the notion of us all being present in order to be seated was such a laughable concept!

Russ chatting it up with Pops

Eventually Mama told them a teensy weensy fib that 10 of us were there, so that we could get seated and begin the beloved process of helping Pops order and organize checks.  Actually, it wasn't that much of a fib because by the time we were seated, there were 9 of us there.  See?  She was close!  Ha!

Pops pushed the game over to Mama to play

We spent our lunch drowning in fifteen conversations at all times, what felt like a waitress for every person at the table, and tons of laughs.  It was just what we all needed...time to enjoy each other!

Great minds think alike!  Matching cousins!

After lunch, we all traveled to my aunt and uncle's home for the real festivities to begin!  My uncle had made a mad dash to the store to stock up on essentials since we had a last minute change of plans.  He did a wonderful job!  We enjoyed finger foods and apple cider as we opened gifts.

Pops and Dustin

Our host

Daddy and Mama

Once the gifts come out, you never know what to expect!  Everyone did so good this year!

The guys with their gifts

Pops opening his gifts

LOVE my bracelets from Clancy and Jack

The girls must have given gifts they really like.  Somehow, we all ended up with these glasses!  Kristin gave Clancy one, and Aunt Patsy and Uncle Howard had given the rest of us one!  So funny!

The girls with their redneck beverage glasses!  Ha!

Aunt Patsy knows what Daddy likes!

Russ will stay warm.

Farley always gives Uncle Howard something fun.  I think he did a great job this year too!  Ha!  Uncle Howard immediately put the basket on his head and started playing ball with the guys!  I'm thinking this should give Uncle Howard and Aunt Patsy hours of fun!

Uncle Howard playing a little "Basket Case."

Jack got a marshmallow gun from Mama and Daddy.  Rage was great at finding the marshmallows and gobbling them up!  We just had to make sure Jack wasn't actually shooting Rage with marshmallows!  Ha!

Rage eating the marshmallows

And, in case you weren't sure...it's not a party until someone wears a bow on their head!

My Aunt Patsy

It was a splendid day with the family!  A Coon Family Christmas never disappoints!  The Griswolds better watch out!  They have some competition!