We gathered in Durant for Christmas 2009.   Hope and Todd hosted the get together.  Thanks, guys, I can't believe you invited us in right after the beautiful work you did to your home.  It made a very comfortable place to accommodate everyone.  I hope we didn't trash it too bad.

Melvin said he couldn't find a good fruit cake so I took the challenge and baked him a fruit cake I remember enjoying growing up.   Thanks to my Mom for the recipe.

Our beautiful and gracious hostess, Hope.

Kaden - "Just remember, that guy knows almost everything."

Here's a pop quiz for you.  Was this picture taken before or after

Shemp quit the team?

This is what it looks like when you get it half right.

What mischief lurks behind those suspicious eyes?

Pretty smile, Jacilyn.

You guys look too happy.  What are you hiding?

Linda - "Watch where you step.   There's babies everywhere."

David -  "No worries, I have my mud boots on."

This poor kid got passed around more than a bottle of cheap wine

at a hobo convention.

Anyone that got near the food was smiling big time.

Lacy - "Hey, let's wake Sherry up and see if she remembers where she is."

Hope -  "Better yet, ask her if she knows what planet she's on."

Kaden - "Ith yuw sthtick yuwr thongue ouw lung enouth eha dries ow an

eha geth hawd thu tawk."

Nolan -  "Duh, Kado, that's why God made spit."

Kaisann - "Get that UGLY thing outta my ear!"

Melvin - "I wisht I hat me a knife like 'at."

Todd - "I wish Melvin would put that knife down before he hurts himself."

Nolan - "I wish I had something to eat."

Kaden - "I wish he wouldn't point that knife at me."

WA - "I wish I was somewhere else."

Why is everyone smiling except for the little punkin?

Hope and Sherry sang a duet, a traditional Mexican holiday song.

It went something like, "Aye, Aye, Yi, Yi . . . ".

Cindy showed us how tall the zebra was that she scalped to make

that vest.  Poor little critter is probably out in the snow somewhere

freezing its hiney off.

Can you remember when you thought the world was full of magic and you didn't

have to worry about what it cost?

Nana - "An Academy gift card?  Nobody's gonna steal this from me, right?"

Todd - "I'll take that!"

Nana - "NoooOOOOoooooo.  First you must humble yourself before my wonderfulness."

Nana - "And do a little begging, too."

Did I mention it was winter time.

What holiday would be complete without some firearms.

Bella - "How long does this go on?!?!"

Well, at least Melvin was excited about the party.

Did someone say we were going to open more presents?

I'd say something cute about how dorky they look but they're both big enough

to kick my butt now so I'll just be quiet.

Melvin - "Now Cindy, the white stripes on these shorts need to

be wider if you want them to match my shirt."

Hope - "Oh nice, Todd.  A jar of Crisco.  Does that mean you

want me to cook something?"

Lacy -  "Todd wants you to COOK!?!?   Ha, ha, ha, ha!!!"

Camo - "Where's MY toy?"    . . .  or . . . "Hey, Doc, what's it mean when your tongue

turns white and grows corners?" . . . or . . . "Anybody know how to get a gum label

off the roof of your mouth?"

Todd demonstrated how to look tough when wearing

baseball jammies.

If you look closely you can see a Milk Dud in mid air.  Nolan showed us

how he can catch food when tossed to him.   Katie's been negotiating

a contract to rent him out to Sea World but he's not real big on

raw fish.

Katie - "Okay, where's the keys to the little red convertible that goes with my outfit?"

My buddy Brodie and the stuffed toy dog Hope placed around the room to

give the place a homey atmosphere.   What, a real  live dog?  Sorry. 

I never saw it move.  I thought it was fake.

David - "Nice toy motorcycle.   BaROOOMmmm, babababbooom!"

Brodie - "Come on, cough it up.   You been playin' with it long enough."

Kate - "What a cute little baby.   I wonder what he's thinking."

Little baby -  "Don't smile at me unless you have something I can suck on."

Boys know how to have fun.

Nina - "How's that joke go about, "Pull my finger?"  I wonder if it works with, "Pull

my thumb?"  Oops.   Yeah, it works."

Jeran - Sniff, Sniff     "Hmmmmmm,  I think this baby's diaper needs changing."

Kate - "If I had another hand and a couple more ears I'd show you what

BLING is REALLY all about!"

Jeran - "Any more BLING and I'd loose the OTHER half of my eye sight!"