A very merry Christmas (so far)

This video says it all:

Claudia's Surprise from Patrick Braga-Henebry on Vimeo.

Being home this Christmas season has been the most wonderful gift. I schemed with big bro Patrick, my dad and best friend Alli to show up on Monday morning about five minutes before my Uncle Dave, Aunt Sue, cousin Brenna, and Grandma and her husband Tom walked in the door! They were stopping over on their way back to Texas from visiting Dave's family in Minnesota, and my Grandma's coming was a surprise earlier in the week for my family. I in turn surprised her as she walked in the door! I was so happy to come home in time to catch them and be able to visit for an afternoon and evening. Uncle Dave et al had come to the wedding in Morocco in August but I hadn't seen my Grandma since our American wedding well over a year ago and it was such a joy to sit down and visit. 

Courtesy of my mom's Facebook

Courtesy of my Aunt Sue's Facebook

Again from Aunt Sue's Facebook. Thanks Uncle Dave for taking it!

Even though I've only been home about 48 hours I've just been so filled with joy to be laughing with my sisters, playing games with my siblings, introducing soon-to-be-sister-in-law Emily to Braga-Henebry family staple movies like Singin' in the Rain and It's a Wonderful Life, baking, taking pictures, talktalktalking, and even making a mini gingerbread village! All this in only the past two days!

Again from mom's Facebook. Note all the beer-- definitely not in Morocco anymore!

There were four gingerbread houses-- perfect for my three sisters plus Emily, and my coming rather ruined that, but Emily and I joined forces on the biggest house of the four and are so happy with the results of our collaboration! It's called the "Christmas Cottage".

Next up is Bia's, entitled "Untitled", in her typical no-nonsense fashion.

Tessie's is named "The-one-that-looks-okay-as-long-as-you-don't-look-at-its-left-side" in her typical so-nonsense fashion!

Tessie gave a name to Isabel's, "Perfection", both describing how we see her gingerbread house and how we all see her in general!

Isn't our village just too cute??

Stay tuned for more pictures of the holiday season in the Braga-Henebry house! And a big thank you shout-out to hubby Othman for proposing this trip less than two weeks ago and helping me get a last minute ticket! What a wonderful Christmas gift from him. As my mom and Grandma exclaimed, he's on the good husband list.