Saint Augustine Christmas Lights

Old Saint Augustine is one of my favorite haunts. I especially love it at Christmas time with all the lights and decorations. We loaded up the gang (all 12 of us) and headed down there on Thursday night after our Thanksgiving feast. The weather was cool and the crowds were cheery. It definitely put me in the holiday spirit! Makes me want to hurry up and display my own holiday decorations.

Maybe next weekend. I'm beat.

Because today we are wrapping up our big family Thanksgiving gathering. The last of the company left early this morning and I am already on my fourth load of laundry of the day.

I'd like to share a few interesting facts I learned this weekend:

*When you have a family of 12 all living in the same house, none of your dishes will ever be in the kitchen cabinets. They will either be in use or in the dishwasher. All.the.time.

*Everyone must eat every seventy-five minutes. There is no exception. This occurs almost around the clock. (i.e. dish flow problem; see above)

*Your television volume will reach a decibel that you didn't know it could reach. And someone will still ask if you can turn it up.

*Everybody will fight over the two available computers to continuously post the same photographs and status updates on Facebook even though we are all "friends" and all doing the same things.

*The littlest one always has to sleep on the floor. By the fourth night, you hear him upstairs asking one of the teenagers if they will switch beds with him because his bed is so uncomfortable. Which is answered by a resounding No.

*So his Dad takes pity on him and gives up his spot in his own bed and sleeps on the couch so the little guy gets to sleep in a real bed for the first time in four days.

*Mom loves it and gets cuddles I would not get otherwise.

*Once the gang clears out and the house is quiet again, you realize just how tired you really are.

*And you hit the couch yourself. And don't plan to get up for the rest of the day.

night-night folks. See you tomorrow.

A few reminders: this week I'll be sharing some new tips on build a blog, my Mama's giveaway is still going on so please enter if you haven't already (winner will be announced on Dec 1st!), and do consider "liking" me on facebook, tweeting with me on twitter, and following on google! Namaste, friends!