A Christmas Story: 2012 Edition (Boarman Style)

As you are most likely aware, or will be when your December bank statement arrives, Christmas happened recently.  I still don't really know how it's possible that it's already come and gone, but the amount of new belongings I need to find spaces for evidences that it indeed has.  This year Ryan unfortunately had to work the day shift on both Christmas Eve (Monday) and Christmas day (Tuesday), so our family-visiting schedule required a little creative finagling.

We decided the easiest way to spend time with both sides of the family was to head up to Conroe to do Christmas early with my family the weekend before and to head over to Ryan's parents' house after he got off of work on Christmas day.  While I missed getting to do traditional Christmas all in one day and having Ryan around for it, this plan of attack worked out pretty stellarly.

So, stop 1: Boarman fam Christmas in Conroe.  This year since we were all short on vacation and had been up to South Bend a few times earlier in 2012, we elected to just spend the holiday at home.  Ryan, Lola and I arrived with bells on ready to celebrate on Friday evening.  We were the first to arrive, so we had the luxury of getting my parents all to ourselves for the night.  The 4 of us had dinner at Rico's, a local Mexican restaurant and just hung out and caught up.

Saturday we spent the morning laying around in our pajamas waiting for Matty & Jules to make their way north.  Like a kid on (the Saturday before) Christmas, my Dad couldn't wait to present my Mom with one of her Christmas gifts- a meat grinder.  Now, I recognize that to most people this doesn't sound like a very romantic and/or exciting gift.  So let me break it down for you.  For as long as I can remember, whenever we visit my Mom's side of the family in South Bend, we have a special dinner of ham loaf one evening.  My Mom has tried many times unsuccessfully to find butchers here in town who can make ham loaf to no avail.  So my Dad took matters into his own hands and bought a meat grinder.  Given his disinterest in relying on others in general, I'm a little bit surprised it took him this long to formulate this brilliant plan.  The gift was met with such excitement that we immediately rushed out to the meat market my parents go to in Conroe to get the ingredients for some homemade ham loaf.

And you thought only Southerners got this pumped about meat.  Apparently farm-raised Hoosiers can give you a good run for your money.  We left the meat market with enough meat that many would have questioned whether we were trying to open our own branch of Fogo de Chao.  As soon as we got home, we met up with Julie and got to work on Operation: Ham Loaf.

Papa Bear getting after it.

Lola is thinking that this meat grinder might be the best gift anyone she knows has ever gotten.

Julie demonstrating how many hours of the Food Network she has watched while Caddy looks on in what is obviously unadulterated amazement.

You may have noticed that the meat we are grinding here appears cooked.  If so, congratulations- you were about 1.5 hours ahead of us.  Apparently we are a family of blondes.  After realizing that we needed uncooked meat and had just made a very large batch of catfish food (you're welcome Lake Conroe fishermen), my Dad immediately got on the phone to track down some UN-cooked pig.  Brookshire Brothers came to our rescue.  Ryan and my Dad did the grinding of the actual meat used in the ham loaf we made for Christmas.  However, at this point ol' Preggers McGee decided that laying on the couch sounded like more fun than taking more pictures of meat.  So you'll have to use your imagination.

Saturday evening my Dad again busted out the fire pit that Ryan & I gave them for Christmas last year and we enjoyed another fire outside.  Nothing says Boarman holiday like some fire, a nice glass of wine, Gallery Furniture jackets and watching the puppies run around and try to eat bamboo bark.  Absolutely perfect "Christmas Eve" in my book!

Pregnant people wine.

Let there be fire.

Tell me these aren't the most well-dressed people you've ever seen.

Rocking those Gallery Furniture jackets.  Also, Lolers is attention-starved.

Sunday morning we woke up and had a giant wrapping party which required yelling from room to room things like "do you have the scissors," and "hey *insert name here*, don't come in here for at least 10 minutes."  Is this how everyone's Christmases work?  Mid-afternoon we had the official present exchanges where we were all beyond spoiled.  Ryan & I's little princess made a killing for not even being here yet!  She scored a new stroller, a car seat and other assorted fabulous clothing items and accessories.  Please note that I was way too excited with the loot to take pictures.  Sooooorry.

Ryan ripping into the finest specimen of Jimmy James wrapping.  Car seats take a special kind of finesse to wrap.

I believe this is Dad demonstrating the dance moves he plans to bust out for his fellow passengers on his next flight.  We gave him some noise canceling headphones for all the long flights he's been taking lately.

Physical evidence that Julie is the world's nicest sister-in-law.

O' Christmas Tree.

My Dad decided that since we are about to have a snuggly new addition to the family, we needed a camera upgrade to capture all of her adorableness in the highest quality.  I'm still working on figuring out all the bells and whistles on this bad boy.  However, I'm super pumped about it potentially making my poor photography skills look less lackluster.  Here are a few of my first efforts.  Feel free to sign up to give me some lessons my less camera-challenged friends!

Why yes, that wreath is made of wine corks.  Pintrest eat your heart out.

Abby dreaming of more ham.

I think I was playing with the "close up" setting.

Post present exchange, we all sat down to Christmas dinner.  I have to say that Dad's meat grinder was a brilliant gift because that ham loaf was perfection.  Mom went all out on all the trimmings as well.  Food is certainly the way to anyone in the Boarman family's heart and Mom had all of our's that evening.  Right after dinner, Ryan had to head back home to get ready for work the next morning.  We were so appreciative that my family moved their Christmas festivities around to accommodate Ryan's schedule.  It's a true testament to the fact that they really are the most generous, good-hearted family in the world bar none.

I hung out with the family through Christmas afternoon when I headed into town to meet Ryan at his parents house for Christmas part 2.  The remainder of the time I spent in Conroe was filled with delicious food, silly TV and great conversation.  As our family grows and expands, it's rare that the 5 of us get to spend much time together and it was a treasure to get to do so for a little bit.  Oh, and me trying to play photographer.  :c)

I think Lola's stink eye here says it all.  She was way over me taking her picture at this point.  Not that this stopped me, as you'll see.

Oh, so you're annoyed by me taking your picture inside?  Fine.  We'll go outside.

I believe this is a double cold shoulder.

Alright dogs- you win.  I'll start taking pictures of nature.

Some slightly more native flora and fauna.

I think I was playing with the "silhouette" function here.

Sitting on the dock of the bay.  That will conclude this snippet of Amy's foray into learning to use a camera.

In conclusion, Christmas 2012 with the Boarman family was absolutely amazing.  I wouldn't change a single thing.  Thank you so much to my parents for all you do for us and making every event at casa Boarman so memorable.  We love you so much.  I can't wait for Christmas 2013 - this time with a little one.  :c)