What we did over the holidays - Part 1

So I promised a "what we've been up to" post and here it is.  I started out doing 1 post, but soon realized it was a little picture overload, so I'm splitting it up.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a veterinarian and currently working as a relief vet.  Basically, that means I'm a "substitute" vet, and I work for whoever needs help at the time.  I have a few clinics I work for on a weekly basis and several who just call me to fill in.  In this line of work, the holidays are very busy.  Since everyone else is taking time off, they call me to help.  Starting around Thanksgiving, I've been working 50-60 hours a week.  Add that in with all the shopping and decorating for my favorite time of year - I've been very busy.  At one point, I just had to let go and tell myself I didn't have to do everything.  Some of the grand plans I had for this Christmas just didn't happen.  I wish had some great pictures of the house decorated, but that didn't happen either - maybe next year!

For our Christmas picture, we decided to include Dean, our foster dog.  He may not be a permanent addition to the family, but he is definitely special.  That did make things a little more difficult since he is afraid of cameras.  Here's the final pic:

As for Christmas, we headed up to Memphis to spend the holiday with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and 3 year old nephew.  We had an amazing time!  We ate plenty of delicious food - including Gus' fried chicken - which really is the best chicken you will ever eat.  In fact, we ate there twice on this trip!

Gramps & Elijah

 And there was plenty of playing with my nephew...

every kids needs a superhero cape!

he loved the nativity

and when he was done, he put everything up

 baked some Christmas cookies

Took our annual family photo for the Christmas card

playing with the camera

And as with every 3 year old, there were plenty of tears, 

but Aunt Heather wasn't going to let them last long...

an iphone helps...

 Christmas morning takes a while with a 3 year old.  He wants to play with everything as he gets it.  In our family, we take turns opening gifts so everyone gets to see what each person received.  Elijah ranked the gifts in importance by how long he looked at it with you.  Apparently, adult gifts aren't very interesting.  I did get a new lens for the Nikon, which I am very excited to play with.

Christmas morning

not sure what Gramps was instructed to be here, but he did it!

And it SNOWED!!  Not much, but plenty for this southerner.  When I used to go to my parents house in Maryland for Christmas, I would always hope for snow.  It never happened - until they moved to Tennessee!

just enough for a little snowman

trying out the new lens

We even made time to get out and do a little sightseeing around town.  One night we ventured out to see one of those drive-through light displays.  When we got out at the little Christmas village, they had camels you could ride!  I have to say, I kinda wanted to do it...

  Chris, Emily, Cameron, and I went downtown to visit Sun Studios.  They discovered Elvis and recorded many of the classics from back in the day.  I was surprised to learn they are still an active recording studio.

posing with the same microphone Elvis used.  Doesn't Cameron look thrilled?

Then we walked around Beale Street for a while before meeting up with Nana, Gramps, and Elijah to watch the Peabody ducks get out of the fountain and go upstairs for the night.  I think it's funny that they get these ducks to get out of the water and walk down a red carpet to the elevator every day.  It was really crowded since it was Christmas time and a bowl game was being played in Memphis.

Later that night, Cameron and I headed to the midtown area to meet up with my vet school friend, Jane Ashley.  She grew up in Arkansas just over the state line and was in town for Christmas.  I haven't seen her since we graduated and it was soooo good to catch up!

We had a wonderful time, but the trip was way too short!! 

Stay tuned for part 2...