Our 3 Christmases

Yea, yea Christmas was totally 2 weeks ago but I am just now getting around to blogging about it wanted to drag out keep the spirit of Christmas going just a bit longer.  You know, for you stalkers that like to put your tree up in October...& start listening to Christmas music in November... 

Now, you have Jaime Mac Christmas posts in January.  You.are.welcome.

Our first Christmas obligation gathering was the BIG McAfee Christmas.  I say 'big' McAfee so you do not confuse it with our teeny immediate McAfee family.  (Which is not so teeny...but teeny to the BIG McAfee family. Follow all that?!)  The BIG McAfee Christmas includes B-rad's grandparents, their 5 children & their children.  And now all the 'grandkids' have a ridiculous perfectly fine number of children & it.is.insane.

This year I chose to bring an appetizer.  This is working smarter not harder, people.  

Lora's uncle had passed away & his funeral was going to be the same time as the Big McAfee Christmas.   The kids still wanted to come, so B-rad & I took them with us.  They are all at great ages because they can be left pretty much unattended.  Brady is 16, Cole is 10 & Derik is 20.  They can make their own plates of food....they can go to the bathroom by themselves....they eat without getting food all over themselves or the floor...they can throw their own plates away....they can wash their own hands.... (see where I'm going with this?)

When we got to B-rad's aunts house I did do the responsible adult thing & told Cole, "Cole-don't break anything & use your manners."  

Yep, my job here was done...

  There are something like 60 McAfee's under one roof.  Madness, I tell ya.  

 B-rad's aunt has this beautiful train town thingie set up on her hearth right at kid eye level.  I believe she has lost her mind by leaving it out where the kids can touch it, but eh-what do I know?  All I could do was watch & think, "WOW, I'm SO glad I'M not responsible for any of those kids touching ANY of that stuff OR breaking it."  Seriously.  (I'm really, REALLY confused as to why people wonder why I don't want kids?)

Our second Christmas was with B-rad's family. 

My job is to pass out our gifts to everyone because B-rad has no idea what we bought.  When I'm passing out gifts, I hand the camera to B-rad to take pics... & he never disappoints because I find pics of my butt on the camera.  Lucky you....

On Christmas day, we go to my parents house.  

And for whatever reason, THIS year after dinner - it became the Christmas of the gun.   

Now, let me back up for a second.... I know everyone has their feelings about guns & gun control & all that stuff.  And I have my opinions as well but much like religion, politics & pet peeves - it's one of those things we all need to agree to disagree about.

HOWEVER... My family is all.about.guns.  Surely you remember the story about mom taking her gun to Kansas with us onto the military base... ?

My dad has always had guns & always shot guns.  

To give you some perspective - he buys & sells guns like I get new cell phone cases...

 B-rad has no problem with them either... 

But me?  I'm scared to death of guns.  Like seriously.  I'm all about a power trip, but even THAT is too much power for me. 

 The boys were looking at the guns, holding up the guns, arguing discussing the guns.  Please don't misunderstand, they are gun lovers, but they are also responsible gun lovers.  The guns were unloaded & they never pointed them at anyone.  (Besides, that shit's just not funny....) 

Butterfly totally posed for this shot.  (no pun intended...) He is not pointing at Rhonda...he's pointing at the wall... but her covering her face is priceless.

I was sitting at the table, minding my own business & taking pics during the gun extravaganza.  Then Dad brought out a revolver for me to hold.  UHM, I didn't wanna hold the revolver...  
Since I didn't want to accidentally shoot anyone on Christmas, I asked dad, "It's not loaded, right?"  His loud response, "NO IT'S NOT LOADED!  I've got the shells right here in my hand DUMBASS."  
Yea, good times...

So I held the gun to make him stop screaming at me appease him & he asked if I wanted to take it home & I'm like, "UHM NOOO...."  And he asks, "I don't understand why you don't like guns?  You don't take after me or your mom!"  
Being the idiot I am, I tried to explain to him that I don't like them because they can KILL someone.  And he says, "Well that's the point - dumbass..."  

'Merry Christmas of the gun to me!