Christmas with the Shipp's

This MUCH anticipated weekend was plagued with sickness!

FIRST My dad had to work late on Friday so instead of arriving Friday afternoon they arrived Saturday at 1:00AM. THEN Jared, Marley and I were all sick with a stomach virus THEN Dad got an ear infection/sore throat/fever, FINALLY Rhett & Brock caught the stomach virus. They finally gave up Monday morning and just headed home. What a bum weekend! I am just so sick of sickness I want to scream!

Inevitably there are a few stories told EACH time we are all together as a family.

#1 One Sunday afternoon Chad and I decided to play a nice quiet game of Monopoly. We wouldn't let Rhett join in, but he stayed to watch anyway. After what I felt like was cheating, I got upset and punched Chad and gave him a bloody nose. I knew I was about to experience the consequence of my action, so I ran into the bathroom and locked the door. To retaliate Chad went into my room to try to mess it up. He opened some drawers and knocked over a chair. There is still a blood stain on the wood of the inside of my built-in desk to remind us of that day.

#2 How my dad blamed Rhett for hitting Chad with a piece of barbed wire when really a kid from across the creek in our back yard shot him with a bee bee (sp?) gun. (They were really young kids at the time) My dad didn't realize this is what happened until the doctor pulled out the bee bee from Chad's head and showed it to him. My dad, of course, felt bad and apologized to Rhett but I don't think Rhett has ever been able to let it go. :)

#3 Chad thinking that guy's swimming suits were underwear and would ONLY wear my swimming suits. We have some GREAT pictures to prove it :)

#4 Chad still claims one of the scariest times of his was when he was 5 (?) I would have been 7. He threw a tonka truck at my friend Susy and hit her in the face. They were fighting over whose dad was stronger. She ran out of our house crying. He said the look on my face was scarier than the yelling and probably hitting that occurred directly after. Why was I so violent?

There are countless others, but these are just a few.

Marley, of course, was showered with Christmas and Birthday gifts while the Shipp's were in town.

So far this one is the fav

"Thank you Gma and Gpa"

"Oh the seat even opens!"

"Beep Beep"

Can they make these packages any harder to open? Marley was more into all the wires and packaging that seeing what was inside.

"I don't care what the doll looks like Mom I just want the plastic"

"Hmm...I hope that doll isn't real. She'll really cramp my ways if she thinks she's gonna sit on MY mama's lap."

Yep, she pretty much got spoiled. Doll, stroller, train/car, musical toy, pooh bear, etc.

Tara gave Marley this cute purple jacket. Marley totally freaked out when I wanted to take a picture of her with Tara. She has turned into a real mama's girl lately and has to be touching me at all times. I really hope she grows out of it soon.

Tara also got us Apples to Apples--totally FUN game! We had a great time trying it out with the whole family.