The Christmas Eve party

For the past few years, we have been a part of one of the best Christmas Eve traditions ever... a dinner party with some people we love the most that has a THEME! As Barker children, we have never known life without Mike and Donna Brasher being in the picture! They are so dear to us.  I dont know what exactly started this get together but I sure know what started the THEME aspect of it all.  We were all to wear pajamas, so we could just hop in the bed when we got home and be ready for Santa! Bret and Lanie were just engaged... they always are traveling to the party from his family's meal together... and Bret did not come dressed in his nighties... so Mike insisted Bret follow him and borrow some cute-sy pajamas. We thought it was hilarious! So next year we planned ahead, all came dressed and ready! 

Some past themes include our first Pajama Party, the Wild Wild West, a White Trash Christmas, The Andy Griffith Show, The 70's, Alabama Crimson Tide... I found some photos below! I wish we had some from way... back...  but these are what I could find!

 The night is filled with the best homemade food you will ever eat in your life(thanks be to Donna!) incredible desserts (cheesecake that will make your heart stop!) tons of laughs that you'll never forget, great gift sharing time and lots of love to get your Christmas Spirit boiling. It has easily become one of our favorite parts of Christmas!

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This year's theme: DISNEY!

 In honor of Lanie expecting a baby and me being infatuated anything remotely related to Disney... and for the pure enjoyment of seeing what everyone dresses up as! 

So who joined our party?  

From top left to bottom right: My Mo-mo as Cruella di Vill, Wade as Robin Hood, Dad as Mr. Incredible, Bret as Aladdin, Lanie as Jasmine, Mike as Mickey, Donna as Minnie, Mom as Mrs. Incredible, Me as Cinderella and Kyle as Prince Charming.

Ill let my mom help explain it: "Each year we leave saying "this" was the best year ever... but how could it get any better than this?? We anxiously await the announcement of the theme each year. Sometimes it is the day of the party, but this year it was a few days before. Some of us put some thought into planning ahead while a couple waited until the hour before the party was to begin, bet you can't guess which one?"

We LOVED having our special guest, MOMO, at our party this year! She was a perfect addition! Our family never gets enough of "Momo time" but we treasure each minute we get to spend with her.  Wade left yesterday afternoon.. all by himself.. headed straight to her house... have I told you before that boy reigns in her home? see photo to the right... its too cute!

We do have some rules for this here snazzy party:

 If you get something that is wearable, you have to put it on...even if its boxers! (Dad's annual present!)

Even Baby Jeffrey/Jeffrita got some presents! How cute is that Bama bathing suit? it has a pleated skirt around it! and Love, Bama on the whittle booty!

So Kyle joins our party... and gets these pants as a present?!

I was not warned in advance that his obsession with THAT orange would be endorsed at our Alabama Crimson Tide family's event. Can you tell by my face that I am.. um.. not the most excited?

 Brashers, see you again next year! 

we cant wait. with love, the barkers! 


next on the blog to-do list: Christmas Day!
*im going to go ahead and apologize for the cluttered post. Ive had it to about here... imagine me pointing to the moon... with the automatic formatting of blogspot today. Im all done.