Christmas Part 3

Christmas morning started with Dad's famous pancakes. He makes them with Crisco--mmm, hydrogenated oils!--and chocolate chips, which make them possibly the worst thing you can eat. But they're ridiculously good, golden and crispy. I had a mini to start out with:
After breakfast was gifts at the Caissies'. Jay gave me a pennywhistle and a ukulele, just in case we ever want to have a Leprechaun Luau. Josh gave us the best regift ever--his digital camera. So our blog is back in business (and it is a super camera, too).

After Caissie Christmas, we split up. Jay and I went to his Uncle Bob and Aunt Linda's and the other Caissies went to Auntie Sue's. I was a little out-of-sorts until after dinner--I was so tired. We took a short post-dinner nap and I perked up, but forgot to take pictures. My mom took some at Sue's of the kids:
Jay and I gave Peter this Auto Garage (which I hope lasts more than two days--it wasn't very expensive). Apparently Emmy liked it too and turned it into a ladder for her dolls, saying "up up up up! Down down down down!" over and over.
After both of these gatherings, Jay and the Caissies headed over to cousin Kayla's for a few minutes (Christmas number 3), then Jay and I went back to Mom and Dad Provosts for Provost Christmas. There we did the stocking swap (Dad Provost did an impressive job on mine this year!) and other gifts. Mom and Dad Provost gave me some cake decorating supplies and a book on decorating cupcakes, which I think opened up a door that will result in everyone I know gaining at least ten pound from eating all of my creations. The book is super cool.

I only took one picture there (I was too busy playing my pennywhistle):
After Christmas number 4, Jay and I went back to the Caissies' and crashed.

Christmas Eve--Pie and Rock Band

Christmas Eve we continued our annual Caissie-Provost combo gathering. This year, Dave and Amy stopped by too. We started off the night with a pie extravaganza, provided by Jay and me. We made a french meat pie, which no one can stop talking about, two chicken pot pies, and a veggie shepherd's pie, which was mostly consumed by me but was delicious. The pielicious spread is seen above. The rest of the family were in the picture too, but I cropped them out because, well, they looked like mutants.

After dinner, we played Rock Band and some of us drank too much. To protect the guilty, we won't say who "some of us" are. This year, Jay and Josh had made avatars for everyone and gave them all funny names. Mom Caissie was "Antsy Metzy", the nickname bestowed on her by a pronounciation-impaired little Emily.

Sarah Casavant was "RedHotSarahPepper" due to her excessive use of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as a vehicle for her vocal prowess. Other name highlights were "Rubber Band Denis", whose catchphrase is certainly, "Just like a rubber band!" His avatar was designed to look like he wasn't wearing pants, the reasons for which were unknown to all except the creators. Uncle Dave was "Ticketless Dave" because of his unfortunate timing in giving up his Red Sox season tickets. And Dad Provost was "Dennis Pukevost" as a tribute to last year's Rock Band night.
I'm not sure what Jay is doing in this picture, but it amuses me.
Josh looks very serious in this one.

Christmas

At Christmas, we went to NH for a few days. Here is my gingerbread house version of the Caissie abode.
More Christmas pictures on the way.

July 4th

We went back to the Caissies' for July 4th. Mom, Jay and I started the day off right with King Kone for lunch. Jay had a corn dog, which he immediately regretted.
Peter, Candice, Matt, and some of Josh's friends came up for swimming and barbequeing (creepy picture of Josh in Jen's platform flip-flops omitted here). After dinner, we all went on the boat to watch the fireworks with Mom, Dad, and the Clinghans.


Everyone felt a little friendly after a few beers on the boat:
This would have been a great picture if those two weird guys hadn't gotten in the way:


The night was capped off with sparklers and fireworks from the gas station (not a recommended place to buy fireworks). The night almost came to a fiery end when Jay, feeling his lightning-shaped scar prickle, pointed his sparkler at Josh and yelled, "Stupefy!" sending a burning ember directly into Josh's chest. Everyone survived and made it home safely. Thanks, Mom and Dad--everyone had a great time!

Father's Day

For father's day, we went to the Caissie's house. The boat was broken and the weather was bad, so no trips around the lake this time, but we did light a fire that smoldered all day. For gifts, we had the $2 (or $3 depending on who you asked) gift challenge. Josh's contribution was a grab bag "for a girl" from the dollar store. It included a lovely orange creature that purportedly was a frog, a container of bubbles, and a little toy maze. In my estimation, it was worth so much more than $1. (The ghostly apparition in the picture is smoke from the fire.)
My contribution was a board game called "Mutual Fundz" that I got for $3 at a yard sale. Don't be fooled by the $5 price tag; I haggled. They also tagged the game "NEVER USED!!!" though I can't imagine why, because it's endless fun "for bloodthirsty capitalists of all ages." Jay decided he couldn't compete with the weirdness that runs in the Caissie blood and bought a book on barbecuing.
The boys also schemed evilly:
Mom and Dad Provost came, too, and Sarah and Kyle. All in all, a good day despite the rain. Thanks to both dads for being great!