Aunt Crazy: Ketchup... Melodies, Matrimony & Merriment

I'm back! Sorry for the delay. As usual, December went so quickly! As I pull up these pictures, however, I can start to see why. I'm sure it was the same sort of thing for many of you ... lots of family, lots of friends, lots of food ... alternating between rushing around and relaxing with a glass of wine. 2008 was a tough year for a lot of people, but quite honestly, it was a great year for Aunt Crazy!

Chorus Recital at Tuckahoe Middle School - the twins are in the second row from the top, all the way to the left

Achan and Anger asked me to put this on my calendar when they started school in August! They really stressed about their outfits. At the last minute they even stole my shoes!

After the concert with their friends

On the weekend of December 20th, Mom and I drove down to Jacksonville, FL for my cousin Kalee's wedding. As you can see below, it was truly beautiful. Probably my favorite part was the wedding favor, a beer huggie that read

To have and to hold
And to keep your beer cold ...
Kalee and Landis, 12/20/2008

Hahaha!

Karen (MOB), Jack (FOB) and Mom

The Stuart children ... Jack and Christy are the only American cousins my Dad had (everyone else is in Scotland!)

Kalee and Landis were "piped" into the reception

Kalee and Landis Blackburn!

First Dance

Family shot ... it wasn't until later that we realized we had EVERYONE ... except the Bride and Goom! Oops! (We were missing some spouses and kids, too... oh well!)

Seated:

John and Ann Stuart - Patriarch and Matriarch!

Standing:

Mom, Chris, Megan, Karen, Doug, Christy, Jack, Sarah, David, me

Me and Mom

KENNEDY / SWARTZ CHRISTMAS!

Lauren and Kyla, all ready for church on Christmas Eve

Lauren's-eye view of Mommy (my sister, Christie)... yes, I let her hold my camera. I guess that's why I'm Aunt Crazy.

Kyla, Lauren (in her new Barbie Fairy dress), and Uncle Bill

Christmas Eve dinner - Lauren and Bill

Mom

Matt Swartz: Self Portrait (he enjoyed playing with my camera with the 'no flash' set)

Picture of Aunt Crazy with the flash off

Aunt Crazy with the flash on ... I cut my heel on the bottom of their sofa. Don't ask; it's something ONLY I would do.

Mom opens her new sweater from her son ... Bill looks embarrassed. :)

Lauren dictates her letter to Santa

Christmas morning! Kyla's new Pooh Bear phone

Lauren takes a break to eat a few cookie crumbs that Santa left.

Lauren's new twirly ballerina skirt

Kyla feeds her baby

Lucky - the new dog! You can give Lucky commands ... he speaks, sits, lies down, begs ... even poops! Kyla was curious. Lauren really wasn't.

The Swartz family

When we finally made it down to the cheap stuff (after 3 bottles of the good stuff!), Matt put electrical tape over the "ino" on the bottle so that we could pretend were were drinking Cristal. We got a big kick out of this picture! Then again, it was our 4th bottle!