Christmas with the Masseys.

So, this is the Massey side of the family. Forever, we have gotten together with all the cousins, aunts and uncles, and usually my Poppa and Nannie. It was the first Christmas without Poppa with us. He was not able to be with us last year, but he was in the hospital. He never made it home. He was the ROCK of our family. I have always attributed much of who I am to him! He had such confidence in me. He was so proud of me and all his grandchildren! He was a very moral, upstanding man, from whom I don't think I ever heard a negative word. A very, very deserving role model! I certainly miss him!!

With that, let's look at the fruit of his loins...
This is my cousin, Courtney, and her son, Tanner. Courtney is the daughter of Kenny, my dad's only brother. This is Gabbi. She was the cutest kid at the event. Just sayin'!

And this is Maddi, who thinks, since her recent trip to Disney World, that she actually IS a princess!! She, flanked by Penny, Kenny's wife, started the POSE OFF with this pose!

And it was on like a chicken bone!

I gotta say, Maddi's poses lately have been full of FLAIR!

Full on hip and knee flexion! Ellie kinda sticks with the traditional, hand on hip, one knee bent, toe to floor ol' faithful pose!

Then, Payson busts out with the splits. OH NO SHE DIN'T! I know a 41 year old who's still got it!!

Not to be outshown, Maddi throws her hand to the floor and Gabbi Girl decides to get in on the POSE OFF action!

Way to go, Gabbi Girl! Way to climb down outta your mama's lap and participate!

And would you look back there in the background? Tanner, aka Unibomber, decided to play as well.

I ALMOST got Ellie to the party in a cute dress. Actually, she DID wear the dress.... she just insisted on Jeggings and her biker boots with it. Ok, ok, so we'll compromise!

This is Courtney's sister, Amber. She, Courtney and Dane, who you will see in a minute are my only first cousins on the Massey side! That is how it will be for our (mine and Staci's) kids when we are old or dead and gone. They better stay close, because at this point, there are only 5 of them... Hunter, Hayden, Maddi, Ellie and Gabbi. It is sometimes up to the following generations to keep things rolling along as they always have! I am a fan of tradition!! What is it about GIRLS that knows the importance of keeping families and rituals rolling right along? I mean, I can only imagine if it were left up to Hunter or Hayden to call and decide who would be making the dressing and set up the times and dates for holiday get togethers! Ha!

This is Keenan. He is Courtney's oldest son and lives primarily with Kenny and Penny. Too bad his name's not Lenny! Ha. I am so funnnnnnnny!!

For whatever strange reason, I swear, it seems like every man in the bunch wants to hold Gabbi! This was true at mom's family soiree', it's true when we are in any public arena, and it was true this night as well! I think maybe it is the challenge of seeing just WHO she will choose to go to! And once again, it was NOT Hunter!

Hey, there's Staci! Havent' seen much of her lately, huh?!

And I think Dad told us he waited until the 23rd to go buy his tree which he put out on the porch where we celebrated. He said he thinks he'll do that every year, as it was 75% off!

This is my first cousin, Dane's, little girl. She is only couple of months younger than Maddi and about 4 or so months younger than Ellie! I have no idea why we never get them together, as they had a ball playing!

Hayden is the quiet one who really hardly ever says a word at the family outings!

I really think he thinks he is just too cool for that! Whatev!

This one's pretty cool too! ANd was it Kimmybee who said she remembered Hunter shaving his little 10 year old head to offer support to his baby brother?! I have so many memories that I just shoved down and really forget about! Glad you reminded me of that one. THat proves that he is a tender hearted young man! I needed that reminder! Sweet boy!

This is Dax, Amber's youngest kid... kid brother to Payson. What's up with all those dark brown eyes?! Staci and I have blue eyes, our dad's being crystally blue! Then, our cousins all have this dark brown, almost black eyed thing going on!

Oh, and by the way... that was Daxton BEFORE his makeover! More on that in a minute!

This is Payson and Amber.

ANd meet Brenna, Cousin Dane's baby girl. Sister to Chloe. And also daughter to April. You lost yet?!

These girls were like three peas in a pod the whole night!

Strangely I can remember our first Christmas with the three of them... Chloe being about a month old. Maddi about 3 months old, and Ellie weighing in at big 5 months. They were all three dressed to the nines, and we laid them in a circle to capture that first Christmas with a whole slew of new baby girls!See? MOre of those black eyes!!

And as you can imagine, Ellie thought Payson was just about the coolest thing since sliced bread! Wearing a peace sign shirt and all!!

And then it happened... a neighbor brought over his puppy, a miniature dachsund!
Gabbi Girl was DONE!

While she stayed piled up in that chair strangling that poor dog all night....

Ellie conducted a make up seminar!

She did everything from eye shadow to blush to lips!!

I'm gonna tell you... this girl ain't lacking in confidence! And somehow she convinces her "subjects" to stay still and accept their lots!

I guess for a three year old, and if it involves make up, they are pretty much "in" no matter what!

ANd so it was... all the girls went home with a face full of make up...

As did a couple of daddies!

Dane, I think you look good in purple. Very Twisted Sister of you!

After all, any good girl daddy has had his face done and his nails done at least once!!

And you thought Ellie didn't have SKILLZ?!

Oh...and Dax POST Ellie-tization!

That was the Massey family! Crazy as we all are... we have a lot of fun!!

Mo