A very hedgehog Christmas

So to finish-up documenting our Kansas Christmas it's time to report about the presents. This is a mega post - be warned.

On Christmas Eve Eve Dan and I went over to visit with his Grandma a couple of days early.  I really enjoy going to her house because it reminds me so much of going to Iowa as a kid and staying with my Dad's family.  The Midwest is just so different from other parts of the country.  The food is warmer.  The outside is colder.  The stars are brighter.  And family is just so darn nice.

Anyways, there are more cats at Grandma's even more than there were in September.  They are outdoor cats and I don't remember a-one of their names except for Rat Boy and all the kitties are named after Scandal characters.  I got to hold one and he was so snuggly.  But also, these cats are savages - apparently they attack small wild animals and dismember them on the porch leaving behind the contents of the intestines and other gross organs.  Sorry, was that an over-share?  But look how cute they are!

Also look how talented Dan's cousin Kourtney is!  She made this gingerbread house all from scratch and it looks just like Grandma Wilson's house.  She even made little snow footprints on the porch.  So impressed. 

On Christmas Eve Dan's brother Sam and his girlfriend Lauren came over to Dan's parents house and we had a cute little Johnson family early Christmas.  Dan's mom made his favorite pull-apart rolls and we opened presents one by one - each person taking a turn (this was totally new for me - my family just attacks the tree and devours all the gifts in .25 seconds).

Everyone got great stuff.  I got a handmade kitchen aid cover from Terri Mom, jewelry box, and some sculpy clay to make my own hedgehog nativity set.  What a great idea!!! Dan got some new pants and Settlers of Catan board game which we promptly played with Sam and Lauren. 

That afternoon Terri Mom made Dan's second favorite thing - vegetable soup (see recipe here) and Sam made Jambalaya.  After Sam and Lauren left Dan and I went to Walmart to stock up on Almond Bark to bring back to NYC and then he toured me around Fort Scott.  That night we went to the Christmas Eve service.   

Downtown Fort Scott

The next morning, Christmas, we headed back to Grandma Wilson's and pigged out on biscuits and gravy, more pull-apart rolls, herring, fruit salad, and lots more.  Dan's cousins and second cousins arrived and we got to see true Christmas joy with all the little kids opening gifts. 

The adults in Dan's family do Secret Santa with each adult buying for one other adult.   Aunt Judy and I got each other (not sure if that was rigged :o)).  She got me the cutest nesting hedgehog measuring cups, a wonderful infinity scarf, a hedgehog toothbrush holder, and super fun notepads/sticky notes.  How does she know me so well??? 

Then, Aunt Kandi gave us these too cute hedgehogs made from old paperback books.  How neat is that??  They will find a welcome home in our living room once the Christmas decor is packed away.   It was a very hedgehog Christmas. 

That afternoon we just hung out (the power went out for several hours but we all stayed warm and well fed).  I got to copy a bunch of Wilson family recipes and Dan got to play with legos.  It was a great Kansas Christmas.