The alarm clock went off like a shot in the dark at 5:30AM this morning.....UGH!!!! Perhaps a four letter word would work better than that three letter one.....??? Anyway.....we readied ourselves and headed down the hill at 7:10AM for Hannibal and the annual Christmas get together of the 1st Lady's family. We stopped at a couple of places in St Louis for some last minute gifts. Another VERY necessary stop at the Chesterfield valley Mall......shopping??? NOPE.....a grande cup of Starbucks Cappuccino!!!!!!! Wow....did I ever need that!!! And then it was on up the highway to Hannibal and the Quality Inn and Suites for the evening. By the time everyone arrived that was coming this evening we had 26 family members here.......with many more to arrive by dinner tomorrow.
The late afternoon and evening was spent at the inside pool room with everyone enjoying the reunion and the pool, the hot tub, and a few Christmas spirits and lots of goodies which everyone brought. Several games of Mexican Train were played when there was time between watching the smaller cousins as they became water logged by spending soooo many hours in the pools.
If you are ever overnighting here in Hannibal, I highly recommend this facility!!!!!! The people working here are soooo nice and go out of their way to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time while staying here. They have a complete hot breakfast each morning compliments of the hotel for all who are registered here.
I am going to post a few pics of the evening. Tomorrow the 1st Lady's mother, the matriarch of the family, will join all of us in Shelbina where a catered dinner will be held for all of us, and then gifts will be opened by all of the little ones. We began this way of celebrating Christmas a few years ago after "The Matriarch" became to elderly to play hostess at her home in Monroe City......and it works beautifully!!!! With the snow flying outside the hotel, what better way to enjoy the family than by not having to worry about preparing food, making beds, sharing bathrooms, etc., etc. It WORKS!!!
Soooo, with a wonderful warm evening of laughs and love enjoyed by everyone, I will close and, of course......
LIFE IS GREAT!!! And.....I hope it is for all of you, also!
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