Spann Family Christmas

Whenever the Spann's get together you can bet there's going to be a LOT of gut splitting laughter.  In fact, we have a saying around The Drayer, "it's time for some Spann family laughter".  There's just something about being around people who share your history and your sense of humor and your appreciation for the years and years of inside jokes that just make me want to hunker in and wish for a big ol' snow storm so no one could leave and we would all have to spend a few days together.  We would laugh and tease and cry and eat [well, we're Southern!  Of course we would eat.  Bacon.  Well, bacon and biscuits.  Oh, and chocolate gravy.  Yes, always chocolate gravy.]  Anywho, I miss the days when we would all pile in to my Grandma and Poppy's house, take up every single sleeping space  [including the motor home beds] and just BE.  Together.

Time and life and death and jobs and growing up and great grandkids and for a handful of other reasons we aren't able to do that any more.  But for the one night a year when we get together to celebrate Christmas……MAN, it makes me happy.

And this year we had much to celebrate.  Good health….Aunt Mar celebrates 5 years of being cancer free this year.  An Ohio Assistant Principal of the Year Award…my cousin Jaime just put this one under her belt.  YOU GO GIRL!!!

One of the highlights this year was giving my Grama [that's how she's always spelled it] a photo book of her family.  It was a precious moment.  She's such a beautiful woman.  And if you look closely, you'll see the little rebel inside in those eyes of hers.

Without further adieu, here's the annual video.

Spann Family Christmas 2013

The Annual Santa Claus pic

Pretty sure my oldest sister, Julie was being a good sport and playing along. Amy and I?  Well, we BELIEVED!!!!  I mean look at this ex-convict, ahem, I mean Santa. He's real, right?  Seriously, what happened to smiling eyes Santa?

I'm guessing I'm 5 or 6 in this picture, which makes Julie 12. Bless her good natured heart!

We've Lost all control, people!

So Teddy?  Yeah, well....much like a 5 year old when he discovers he can get into the cabinet and reach the Oreos....that is Ted.

Check it out. We've been out of treats for two days. He doesn't believe me. This is his third time to check. Hoping against hope that they're behind the soap. 

Oh Teddy.

Surprise Date Night-NAILED IT!

Sweet Sarah has deemed this one her favorite yet!  [It's hard to believe anything would surpass The Big Lebowski, but I did it.]

Sweet Sarah joined me for the last half of my week in Vegas.  So I thought I planned a fun night out while she was there.

We had reservations for dinner at the Eiffel Tower with guaranteed window seating.  Our seats were perfect!  Front row for the Bellagio Fountains.

Our view!

Creme Brûlée  Perfect!

Finale!

We finished the evening with center seats at Jersey Boys.  If you haven't seen it, put it on your list.  It's a fun show---though I'm pretty sure we brought the median age down quite a bit!

Yep, nailed it!

14. Take a BFF trip---it finally happened

We are literally one week away from my 40th birthday and the list completion has been, ......well, that'll be a post for next week.

For today I'm posting about the GREAT trip Kerry and I took to celebrate our birthdays.  It must first be said that had it not been for Sweet Sarah and Kerry's competent husband [they have two VERY busy children], this wouldn't have happened.

Thankfully it did.  And it was awesome!

We met up in Vegas on Saturday.  In typical Spann/Pinion fashion we had an itinerary and a list of other things we wanted to do.

People!!!!  Admit it.  How FUN does it sound that two BFF's are in Vegas celebrating their 40th birthdays starting on a Saturday night?!!!!  Dreamy, right?  Right out of Hollywood!  Oh yeah!  So here's how it went down.....I picked up Ker mid-afternoon.  We checked in to our hotel, got the lay of the land and then headed out in search of some dinner.  It was about to get CAH-RAZY!!!!!

Starting with a cocktail

So crazy that we had dinner, walked the strip and I was asleep by 8:30!!!!!!  PM!  Yep.  That's right.  Wild and Crazy.

It also meant that we were awake at 5:30 AM the next morning!  WIDE AWAKE!

We did settle in to the time change, but man, oh man, it's a killer.

Sunday we headed out to Red Rock Canyon.  Holy Moly!  Amazing.  We spent the entire day driving and hiking in the canyon.  [note....this color has not been enhanced in these pics.  that's how beautiful it is there!]

a timer shot from the hood of the car!

Kerry is a 1st generation Slovak basketball player!  Oh wait.....no she's not.
She's a whopping 3 inches taller than me.  What's happening in this picture?

The new Pinion family mascot.  The fighting Pinyons!

A Pinyon and a Pinion

It's B.E.A.U.tiful

Look closely over Kerry's left shoulder, you'll see about a dozen rock climbers.
Crazy, cool people.  I'm jealous.

I gave it a shot.  It was awesome!

I decided to sit up for a picture  :)

Enjoying the view

This is 40 people! 

Ok, this is higher than it looks!

not posed.  not posed at all.

In the winter this is a waterfall

Another timed shot.  One of my favorites from the day.

A dry creek bed in the middle of an old canyon fire.  The re-growth is beginning

The ONLY flower we saw all day.

On Monday, we headed out to the Hoover Dam.  To be honest, I was totally blown away by the entire visit.  I mean, I really had no idea how large and impressive and ingenious the entire thing is.  If you ever get a chance, you must go!

this is as close as we got to Lake Mead.
They charge $10 to put your toes in the water, so we opted out.

Kerry attempted to go over the edge to touch it!

Such a rule breaker!

Seriously!!!!  Look at that thing!
Can you make out the cars down on the right?

Two states, two time zones.
When we scheduled time to meet back up it was SO confusing!

On the new bridge.  Whoa it's high.

See?  Very high!

On the damn dam.  After the Dam Tour

Yes.  Yes, that's right.  That's THE bridge we were on.

Can you see the cars?

We thought this sign was funny

"Alabam" the guy in charge of the latrines during the construction of the Dam.  Poor guy

 And we even enjoyed the Strip a bit.  Japanese, Italian and Spanish PAELLA!

We saw Cirque de Soleil's Beatles Love show.  Fantastic.  [in spite of the fact that I ordered tickets for a date two weeks prior to when we were actually there.  Ummmm, yeah.  Nov 4 and Nov 14.  VERY different days.  I should NEVER be trusted with details.  EVER.  Absolutely, never.  How does Kerry not know this by now?]

chocolate anyone?

This says it all

The trip was an A+ success.  Great laughs.  Great QT.  Rest and Relaxation.  We're already planning the next one!

Mr. Suave

This is Teddy practicing his best "belly up to the bar on a Friday" pose.

(No comments on the sea foam green carpet!)

It's what I do

I conquered this bad boy today!

That's right.  I single handedly diagnosed the problem on the furnace.

Yep. Yep. 

Most women couldn't handle this. Luckily I'm not most women. 

Anyone else need a fuse replaced?  I have extra.  They come in a 4 pack. :) 

I admit nothing!

That moment when you're casually flipping through pictures on your phone and are taken aback when you see a photo of yourself you have absolutely zero recall of it being taken.

Yeah. Pretty sure that's this one. 

Yes, those are wine glass doohickeys. Yes they're on our forehead. Yes, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Yes, there may have been wine involved.  

Enough questions. 

It was worth it!