Christmas is for kids, and kitties.
Having young children and cats in the house at Christmastime makes it special.
And having a grandchild...
and family...
and friends...
and doggies...
and horses...
This time of year we all turn into kids.
I forgot to post this photo from the day before. I got it from a video Jean sent, of Amiga and Zorro playing in the 0° temperature. Frolicking in the snow covered field probably helps keep them warm.
I did some more last minute house cleaning and preparation for guests once finished computerizing and completing my advent jigsaw puzzle calendar.
By 11:00 we had put gifts and Maggie in the car, and headed out on a still very cold morning. We dropped Maggie at Patty's house and continued on to Dan and Vale's in Murfreesboro. 
The girls (Courtney and Britney) were already there, having arrived just before us. I was so sorry to hear that Yaneth's flight from Chicago had been cancelled and she would not be able to make it.
Ava was napping, so we had to entertain ourselves for awhile. I didn't realize Dan was also photo bombing the girl's selfie behind me. Meanwhile, Joe took a nap. 
Vale was busy in the kitchen cooking and we all snacked, chatted, and helped her a little bit.
We got news that things were not going well at the ranch, with the outside water spigot and tack room water frozen. This caused me much worry and angst, and concern for Jean who was trying to deal with the problem.
We got an up-date from Patty that all was well at her place, although there had been a little bed switch-a-roo.
Once Baby Bear got up from her nap, there was fun and games as we played with her and she entertained us. And of course, many photos were taken.
Little Ava is such a happy child, and a bit of a ham once she warms up to you.
The big Christmas dinner was ready and we all sat down
to eat. Vale is an awesome cook and her efforts were greatly enjoyed
and appreciated. 
I am astonished at how much time goes into preparing a meal, and how quickly it is consumed. It just isn't equitable. And then more time is spent cleaning up after the feast.
Once dinner was over, it was time to dig into the pile of Christmas presents.
First this great big one from Yaneth, who unfortunately was unable to be here to watch.
It was this cute, fuzzy, rocking unicorn, which required some assemblage.
I think Vale and I took these photos at the same time.
Ava was a little scared to sit up on it, so Daddy Daniel had to show her how it worked.
More gifts were unwrapped.
And us 'big kids' enjoyed getting gifts also.
The cat, who had been interested in boxes, bows and wrapping paper, got some toys and enjoyed playing with this one worm toy on a 'fishing' pole.
And then Ava had a great time with the cat toy, going wild 'fishing' for Kitty. She was cracking us up.
When Ava wasn't playing with a new toy, she was opening another gift.
And she too, like the cat, enjoyed the boxes.
Ava kept going back to the fishing pole with worm, and had gotten so warm from flinging it, that she needed to remove her long sleeve top.
After gift unwrapping, it was time for desert. And of course Kitty wanted to take part in that also.
Many of us were running out of steam, ready to call it a day... and settle in 'for a long winter's nap'. 
We had offered to take Tango home to Crosville with us, to make the car loading easier for Dan and Vale in the morning, who would be coming to our house for Christmas day. 
So Ava helped her dad get Tango's meals packed up. 
Joe, Britney, Tango, and I loaded into the car and started our two hour trip home.
Other than it being absolutely freezing out, the trip home went smoothly.
Courtney was planning to pick up Brianna after midnight, although there were flight delays which concerned us all. 
We were quick to hit the hay once home. It had been a very fun Christmas Eve, and now we had Christmas Day to look forward to, however...
Brianna’s flight ended up being canceled, so rather than searching the skies for Santa Clause, I lay in bed Christmas Eve with much anger towards Southwest Airlines. I was very frustrated and felt horrible for Jean and Brianna both, because they were so looking forward to getting together and spending Christmas with each other. Later we discovered just how massive the Southwest Airline's problem was and inadequate their remedy.
Sunday 12/25 - Christmas, birthday morning. I thought Tango had slept through the night (better than I had) but discovered before sun up that he had had two accidents in the living room. So I got busy cleaning them up. Jean and Brianna had both been up much of the night, but Bri was now booked on another flight out of Vegas, again late this evening. 
I started this blog post but had so many photos to sift through I was sort of stymied by the multitude of pictures to pick from. So, this week's post will be kind of heavy on pictures because I wanted to include so many of them. Also thanks to everybody who shared your photos with me. Sorry I don't know who's is who's to give you each credit for them.
Britney was awake and downstairs shortly after I was and we just hung out, chitchatted, and did our computer thing for a while. Mama Styx was enjoying snuggling with Britney.
Joe went to the ranch and was able to get the tractor started and a round bale of hay to the barn. He also got some of the water spigots running. But water buckets and tanks were still frozen. And it was very cold to be working outside.
Dan, Vale, and Ava arrived from
Nashville, as did Courtney (without Brianna). We had a potluck of leftovers, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, snack foods, and Christmas goodies for lunch, that continued for much of the afternoon.
Ava went up to take a nap, blowing us a kiss goodnight.
Soon Patty was on the
scene and Jean also came over, with the plan to go on to Nashville late
evening to pick up Brianna.
Ava enjoyed exploring the house and interacting with everybody. Patty and Britney especially took pleasure in playing with Ava.
I was a bit preoccupied with dinner preparations so wasn't involved in a lot of the interactions, nor did I take many of these photos.
Britney had made two sets of cardboard binoculars and was showing Ava how to use them.
Maggie was very curious about this little person...
...especially when she was snacking, because there was always some 'fall-out' to help clean up.
There were more gifts to open, which happened while dinner was cooking.
We did complete a 500 piece Christmas puzzle in one afternoon. 
Ava loves her pink muck boots.
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Tango waiting for his 5:00 dinner time, and then it was finally our dinner time.
We had invited both Shirley and Karen to dinner because their Christmas plans had been canceled due to the winter storm. Shirley took us up on the offer and was fun to have join us.
I managed to get through the fixing dinner process and we all had a fairly decent meal, and just enjoyed watching Ava and the dogs, and chatting with each other. The fireplace and Christmas lights made the room cozy and family and friends made it delightful.
The girls started a new puzzle, one Courtney had gifted Britney. And if you look closely below, you will see Daniel up to his usual tricks.
Judging from the amount of light outside the window, these photos were taken right before dinner.
More and more Southwest flights were being cancelled and it did not look good for Brianna. But Jean and Bri (and all of us) did not want to give up hope, so Jean headed home to get some shut-eye, with the plan to pick Bri up in Nashville around 3am.
Ava with Mama Vale, about ready to go up to bed. I was not far behind her in hitting the hay.
Meanwhile, our five overnight house guests were slowly rising and shining. Britney was right back at entertaining Ava. I was trying to figure out how we could help Jean. She was planning to do a big brunch for all of us out at the ranch. But Brianna was waiting to fly standby, and Jean might have to dash off to Nashville to pick her up. 
With Jean’s questionable availability and her lack of sleep and great angst, we decided to scrap the brunch and do leftovers instead. We had a ton of food from Christmas Eve dinner that Dan and Vale brought with them and from my Christmas Day dinner.
My relaxing morning with family was interrupted by a boarder text, upset that there was water in the tack room. Joe left early for the ranch to see what he could do. Come to find out, the water freezing had cracked the faucet, and because it was left on at more than a drip, it was spraying out of the sink and onto the floor. 
Days like this I am ready to ditch the ranch, or at least the boarders. But it's Joe's enterprise, and if he is willing to deal with all the hassles, then I guess it's his problem.
Then to make life more frustrating, the flight Brianna was waiting to get on (stand-by) only had 12 spots for the 35 people in line, so she was left behind in Vegas to continue waiting and wondering when she would ever fly out. At this point, Jean made a smart decision and booked Bri on a different airline, to fly to Atlanta tonight, while also keeping her third re-booking for the Nashville flight on Southwest, late this afternoon. 
Eventually everybody was up and ready to roll to the ranch. The first thing Ava did was say hello to the horses. Zorro always loves the attention. 
My two 'girls' enjoying their time together. 
Ava had a good time playing with Jean's Christmas train (video). And I know we adults have as much fun setting these up and testing them out, as the kids do playing with them.
We all enjoyed our own selection of leftovers, from a huge choice to pick from. Everybody loaded up their own plate and nuked it in the microwave.
By 1:00 we had all piled into three cars (Joe and I, Courtney and Britney, Dan, Vale, and Ava) but not Jean (who was uncertain when, where, or if she would be picking up Brianna).
As we headed out on our one hour drive to West Knoxville, snow started to drift down in a very light flurry. And my worry meter started rising. Ugh.
We arrived at Embassy Suites just after check-in time, but they were not ready for us. Dave and his clan walked in just after us, and then the Baker boys. We enjoyed walking around the beautiful lobby and checking out the gym and weight room.
Our rendezvous point was at this corner in the lobby, and we ended up making this our meeting spot over the next two days. It was perfect.
We all enjoyed chatting, catching up with each other, and watching Ava. She loves Courtney's purse of cool girl stuff. You can see our luggage (on two different carts) in the background.
We got word that Bri's Southwest flight was cancelled (for the third time). Thankfully she was boarded and ready for takeoff on a Spirit flight to Atlanta. And Jean was hitting the (snowy) road for a three hour drive to pick Bri up.
Great Uncle Dave playing peek-a-boo with Ava. 
Courtney and Dave discussing phone apps.
The light flurries were getting heavier, and there was some snow accumulating about the time Cathy and Ralph arrived. They reported that the highway was fine but the less traveled roads and parking lot were getting snow accumulation.
Finally our rooms were ready, a block of four on one floor and the Bakers on another floor.
We all got settled into our rooms (1- Sidensticks: Dave, Patti, Nicole, Michael, & Joseph) (2- Villhauers: Joe, I, Dan, Vale, & Ava) (3- Courtney, Britney, and later to arrive the Parkers: Jean and Brianna) (4- Leingers: Cathy and Ralph) (5- Bakers: Chris and Travis). And then we met back down in the lobby at 'our corner' for happy hour (5:30 - 7pm). 
People ordered their own meal off the hotel restaurant menu, while enjoying their beverages of choice.
I thoroughly relished chatting with siblings, their spouses, our kids, nephews, niece, and granddaughter. Watching and listening to everyone interact gives me such joy.
Dan and Vale left the scene to put Ava to bed, and then
Joe went up to our room to watch TV and let Dan and Vale 'get out of the
house' for the evening. 
There was a rowdy game of euchre played. 
Eventually us 'older folks' drifted up to our rooms and off to bed. I was asleep before this selfie of Jean and Brianna was sent a little after 9pm. They were finally together (not Christmas eve, but the day after Christmas).
Courtney was still up waiting for them when they arrived at the hotel after 2am, and she showed them to their room.
Tuesday 12/27 - Britney and I were the first up, and secured a table for six in the breakfast area. Sipping our caffeinated beverages, we watched the news on TV. Word was out about the Southwest Airlines 'holiday meltdown.' The mass delays and cancellations were caused from an internal system failure. Capt. Mike Santoro said, “What went wrong is that our IT infrastructure for scheduling software is vastly outdated. It can’t handle the number of pilots and flight attendants that we have in the system with our complex route network” (point-to-point system, rather than a central hub). So, flight crews and airplanes were out of place and not in the cities that they needed to be in, to continue to run SW operations. I think it's a shame that memories will never be recovered by people stranded in airports, who were unable to experience Christmas with loved ones.
This fire pit burned all night and was where
smokers converged. Snow
still blanketed the area. The hotel had filled just before nightfall when the
roads got bad and it was crowded at breakfast time, as travelers got up
to continue their journeys.
Our people slowly started arriving, with the early risers showing up first. I was surprised at how early Jean appeared on the scene since she had gone to bed so late.
By the time most of our crew was up, we were able to seat all of us together where Britney and I had first sat down. It was a slow and relaxed morning for all of us since we had nowhere we had to be all day.
Ava takes after most her relatives; loves food and can really pack it away.
We kept our same corner in the lobby as our meeting spot, and people congregated there through out the morning and early afternoon, with people coming and going as they choose.
Nicole had to work till noon both days, so did her online work from a comfortable distance.
I had been such a glutton with food, Christmas treats, and even alcohol, that I was trying to talk myself into gong to work out. But I was cherishing every moment with people I rarely see, and trying to spend my time with the majority of them. 
Dan and Vale took Ava for a swim. Joe joined them, but I just couldn't bring myself to put on a swimsuit. 
This 20 month old child is just so stinkin' cute. 
Ava enjoyed watching Pawpaw Joe create waves as he was making big splashes. 
Britney and I enjoyed watching the swimmers from the dry deck of the pool. 
And I think this girl is pretty darn cute too.
Once the swim was over, I headed back to our lobby corner. Nicole was now off work. 
The usual chatter and banter occurred. 
I was getting sleepy, so headed up to the room to get a nap (I was behind on sleep). Across the hall, Ava was opening gifts from the Sidensticks. So I watched that. 
And then Ava was getting too sleepy before finishing her unwrapping. She and I both 'went down' for a nap.
Joseph, Michael, and Nicole seen below. 
I was woken up in the middle of some good REM sleep, to get going to the Chop House, where we had a 2:30 reservation. The restaurant was beautifully decorated in Christmas finery.
I have to included some photo 'bloopers' because they are just too funny to not show and remember. What is going on here between Courtney and Travis?
There was a ton of very good food, and I, like many, made a pig of myself. Britney could barely get her mouth around her burger.
Patti treated Nicole and I to a birthday treat. I did not have any room left, but managed to get most of it down.
On our way out of the restaurant, we had our server take a group photo. He took several actually.
Here is one blooper from the first series of group photos. No idea what was going on with Courtney and I. Everyone else in the photo looked normal. Quite possibly one of us farted?
Then Patti took a series of shots of our goofy photo
pose. My favorite is included below, but I had to also include a close
up of these clowns. Looks like Brianna goosed Jean and Joe.
I love all my family and the fun times and crazy moments we have.
We got back to the hotel with about 45 minutes to go before the 5:30 happy hour (90 minutes actually) was to begin. Santa Cathy loaded up all her gift bags on a luggage cart, and I went down (early) to our lobby corner with her.
Happy hour started while family members were still trickling in and going through their gift bag from Cathy.
Vale had to hit the road for home because she didn't have Wednesday off work.
It wasn't long until the annual family game of Texas Hold'em started. 
Bri and Travis were the last two players left, and Travis came from behind to win.
From poker, the kids then went to playing the Bob Ross Happy Little Accidents game. 
It was entertaining to watch them and listen to their explanations of their drawings. 
Many of us old farts, myself included, headed up to our
rooms. But the 'kids' (younger adults) stayed up fairly late. Patti was still up to take this photo of them playing another game called Code Names.
Ava had become quite comfortable with Britney. 
Back up at our room, I watched and played with Ava while Dan got all her things packed up. 
Most of us had checked out of our rooms, and we congregated back at our corner in the lounge to savor a little more time together.
The Sidensticks had gotten a late check-out so Nicole could work until noon.
We all had a little more time with Ava. She and Patty really hit it off during our stay at the hotel.
Tia Courtney with Ava.
Tia Britney with Ava. 
And Nana with Ava and daughter Britney. 
Daddy Daniel gives Ava a bottle before departure time. Look at the purple bottoms on her cute pink boots.
We all said our farewells and the Leiningers headed back to Dayton OH, the Baker boys back to Indiana, the Sidensticks back to Cincinnati, Courtney took Dan and Ava back to Nashville, and Britney rode with Joe and I back to Crossville. I was so happy she would be staying with us a few more days. 
The drive home was quick (about an hour) and uneventful. We had no plans, nor desire to do much, so started this Christmas puzzle that I plan to give Courtney next year for an advent calendar. 
I put away the empty, decorative gift boxes that were under the tree, since Christmas was over, and put this cute tree shirt under it. Monita was quick to camp out on it and take a nap. 
Britney got this far on the puzzle, and then quit for the day cause the lighting in the living room was getting bad as the sun went down.
Poker Joe was gone to play cards and we girls had leftovers for dinner and hit the hay early. I had tried to work on this blog post, but was just too tired.
Thursday 12/29 - Can you see four cats and a dog in this photo Britney took? I know they all love human companionship and to be near us.
Jean cooked brunch for us girls, including Patty and Karen, out at the ranch. She had bought the food, intended for Monday morning, which didn't happen.
After we cleaned up dishes from brunch, we started in on making another mess, decorating the cookies Patty made with all the icing and sprinkles she provided.
Here are most of our finished masterpieces.
After cleaning up our second mess, Britney and I prepared to go get her hair cut to donate.
Jean wanted to get a before photo, and Britney couldn't help but do some modeling poses. The silly girl. 
I shopped at Walmart while Britney had 17 inches of hair removed, and then had the rest trimmed into a cute style. 
Once home and groceries were unloaded, I put the crock pot on high because the beans were still very hard. It was also way too salty, so I drained some broth and added milk.
The soup I had worked so hard to make turned out horrible. The beans were too hard still and it was rather bland. Joe and Britney were good sports and ate it without complaint. We had a chillaxing evening hangin' out with the cats, working the 1000 piece Christmas puzzle, etc.
Friday 12/30 - It was another beautiful, sunshiny, relatively warm day like the day before. We had a peaceful, relaxing morning continuing work on the puzzle, so I didn't get much done on this blog post. 
We had almost finished this big puzzle, but Britney was not interested in doing the boring sky. So I carefully moved it onto the puzzle board and stowed it out of the cats reach. 
We then got started on a cute 550 piece puzzle I was wanting to do this year.
Jean, Brianna, and I had planned to go for a ride, so timed it for after lunch and to just stay at the ranch for dinner.
Britney was not interested in riding, but did a nice job of taking photos while hanging out with us.
The morning's sunshine was now obscured by clouds but it wasn't too windy and the temperature was still in the upper 50's.
Britney's selfie with Robbie.
The sun actually kind of peaked out when Britney took this photo once we were all ready to ride.
We had a lovely three mile ride, being in the saddle a little over an hour.
Brianna did a great job riding Zorro, and he was a good boy for her. All three of the horses were a little revved up, after nearly two weeks off from riding.
I took pleasure in watching mother and daughter have an enjoyable ride together. 
This is how my horse looked before I started the tacking process.
I finished up chores and then joined the 'girls' inside.
We two mom's (with a daughter each) enjoyed libations and then salads for dinner together. Poker Joe was gone till late night and Britney and I were soon in bed when we got home.
Saturday12/31 - It was a rainy morning and forecasted to be likely much of the day. Britney did a load of laundry and organized and packed for her journey home. We worked the easy puzzle, not in this photo, but to show you our helper.
Jean and Brianna came by in the afternoon and we hung out working more of the puzzle and playing with kitties. We ordered out from Reds a late lunch for the Parkers / an early dinner for us Villhauers, which Joe picked up for us.
Jean and Bri returned to the ranch to finish chores and get the New Year Eve's bonfire going.
By nightfall we all (Joe, Britney, Patty, Shirley, and I) joined them. It was a little damp and chilly, but very little wind and almost perfect for a fire.
Somehow I missed this photo Christmas Eve, but it is a great way to end this post, kids anticipating Christmas.
