12.31.2012: New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve PARTAAAAY!  Haha!  Vince and I spent a wild and crazy New Year's Eve right here at home!  We actually went over to our neighbor's house for a glass of wine...then came home to watch Dick Clark Rockin New Years Eve on TV, and had a feast!  Yup, that's the picture of the feast!  Homemade grinders, chips, and pickles!  :)  Haha!  We planned to have crab legs and wine...but were soooo exhausted we decided to wait on those until tomorrow.  Let's go ahead and end this year with some sandwiches :)



 

12.29.2012: Christmas with Christina & Lex

This year, Christina & Lex spent the week in Riviera Maya, Mexico at a gorgeous beach resort.  Lex took the opportunity to suprise Christina with an engagement ring!!!  While it was not really a surprise at all....everyone knew they would be engaged soon...Christina was still surprised & happy & excited...as she should be!  It was really cool too because Lex called Vince the night he was proposing to ask for "permission" to marry his daughter!  So cute!!  They have obviously had the conversation before, but Lex wanted to be traditional and ask for "real".  So the last night they were there, ready to go for a walk on the beach, under a full moon, and he called Vince on his cell and asked while Christina was in the shower.  So, so exciting!!! 

 

So, of course, we could not wait to see the finished product!  It was gorgeous, as expected!  CONGRATS!!!  And now to "officially" plan the wedding!!  :)

 

Oh ya, we also celebrated Christmas while we were there too!  We always love and appreciate the gifts they give us, as they are always so thoughtful.  We ordered in Thai food and had a feast right there at home with enough food for 30, and enough champagne & wine to keep the celebration going all night!

 

 

 The picture does NOT do this ring justice!

 One of Drake's amazing gifts!

12.28.2012: Another Christmas Celebration in Riverside

Vince and I headed out to Riverside for the weekend to be able to visit with Gramma and Papa, and also celebrate our Christmas with Christina & Lex out in Newport.  Alisa, Olivia, Mike and the kids also came out for the weekend to visit with Mike's family as well.  Brent didnt make the trip, as he was swamped at work!

 

The kids got gifts from Gramma & Papa, from cousin Scott (the boys got little helicopters that they had a BLAST flying around!)....Gina & Bill, and the Sparks.  Seems like they are continually overwhelmed with gifts by friends & family that love them.  Truly lucky & blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives!



 

 

 

Papa could not wait for the kids to come over & open their gifts.  He finds utter joy in getting things for them and having them be so excited to open them!  Its such a treat for them, and I'm glad we got to spend some time celebrating Christmas with them, even if we couldn't be there too long. 

 

Even though it's not the same as the old days where we would all gather at their house for Christmas Eve and wait for Santa to come deliver gifts in the driveway, every moment and every Christmas that we continue to get to spend with them is still special.  Not many people can say that they have spent every 35 Christmas Eve's (up until this one) of their entire life in the same house (Gramma & Papa's), at the same place (on Brentwood), with the same people.  Again, even though this year was a little different, it was still made special by those we were with, when we could be with them. 

 

I found this pitcure of the first Christmas of my life (2 months old), in this same house, same living room, with the same people.  Only then, it was just me!  I thought this picture was really, really cool so had to include it!

Now, I have to share with lots of other grandkids, and now great-grandkids too!

 

 

And now....I must share my wonderful grandparents! 

Good thing I really like my relatives!  :)

 

 

12.26.2012: Hearn Chitlin Fest

So, the Hearns eat these things called "Chitlins"...they are like chicaronis...but not fried.  Basically they are pig intestines.  Now I have had Tripas once, and got that down...but these things...I could not do.  Vince decided to take on the task of cleaning and cooking them and hosting this event.  This process took two (2) days...and basically ran me out of the house due to utter nauscea.  I really wish I could have helped, as it was a HUGE task....but I just couldn't...which I don't say often...esp when it comes to cooking!  Although I did help a little with the changing of the water, etc...but that's really nothing compared to what Vince did!

 

The cleaning process alone took about 5 hours....of which he now begs his mom for forgiveness for EVER asking her to make these for him & his siblings!  Now that she has passed on her processes, it is up to the kids to do it themselves.  So, as a treat for the Hearn siblings, Vince wanted to host a little "fest" at our house.  Charles, Patty and Katrina were in town as well....as they spent Christmas down in Tucson with Charles' 2 older kids.  So, it was the perfect opportunity for all the brothers & sister to get together for a little holiday family time.  Brian and Thereisa also made it over...Brian, too, loves the chitlins!  It was great that everyone made it and was a special night being able to see everyone at this busy time of year!!

 

I had some "normal" food there too for those that don't indulge in the delicacy.  All in All it was a great night...just wish I took more pics...or even had gotten a group picture!  UGH!  I'm terrible these days....



 

 The Hearn Sibings....

 Mama Hearn with her bling-bling hat!

12.25.2012: Christmas Day in the Hearn House

Christmas morning, Vince and I had a quiet start and enjoyed the morning together.  About mid-morning, Vince went to pick up Drake to spend the rest of the week with us.  Thelma & Greg also came over to watch Drake open his gifts.  We had some breakfast quiche and fresh fruit in the morning and just visited and hung out.

 

Vince and I bought Drake an electric drum set for Christmas.  The best part (besides it being small) is that it has headphones....so the person playing can hear, but no one else!!  :)  LOVELY!  Drake was really excited and couldn't wait to play!

 

It was a nice & relaxing Christmas day here at home....

 

12.23.2012: An Early Christmas in Mesa

So this year, we decided to do an early Durbin Christmas in Mesa.  Brent & Alisa weren't going to be able to come to Riverside for our usual Durbin Christmas Eve & Day out there, so Mom and Dad decided to come out early to do our Christmas here.  It worked out well actually because Kenny was able to come down and Mike & Olivia were here also....and we all got to spend the day together and do gifts and have a great dinner.  Mike made an excellent Prime Rib Roast and we had many many sides including Mom's traditional spinach tyropitas and Gramma's famous twice baked potatoes.  Even though we couldn't celebrate with Gramma & Papa on Christmas Eve like we usually do, they were with us here in spirit tonight.

 

After dinner we exchanged gifts...WAY too many as usual!  I love that we all kinda make "wish lists" for each other.  We still don't know what we will be getting, but at least we get a good idea of what each other wants.  This year Brent said he didn't want anything....so Alisa filled out a wish list for him.  One of the items was "patience".  For those that know Brent well, you know that he possesses little of this gift.  Kenny took on the task of finding & giving him some patience.  His gift was wrapped in a whole roll of duct tape....which took much "patience" to open.  It was soooo hilarious!!!  Brent was smiling, but inside I'm sure he had a few choice words for his brother :)  It was also fun watching Avery open all her gifts. Just like any little kid though, she would open one and be done!  She wanted to play with everything!  And she was soooo excited for all her gifts too.  It was quite funny!

 

Although it wasn't our traditional Christmas celebration with my family, it was still a wonderful day/evening and the fact that we all celebrated it together is all that really matters!



 

 Avery was fascinated with Kenny's kennel for his dog Cash.  When Cash wasn't in it, Avery wanted to be.  But she didn't want anyone messing with it...ie, locking her in or out!  So, no need to call CPS....it was never locked...she would just crawl in there & try to close the door & get out...and get back in & do it all over again.  It was hilarious!

 Alisa made these little Christmas trees out of wine corks!  So cute!!!

 The prime rib roast....enough to feed an army!!!

 Kids passing out the gifts....