#Y’all can keep that sorry protest on January 18th.

[cyarsk52-20]

January *18th*, because anything scheduled after noon on January 20, 2025 will likely face National Guard troops

again, with the marching instead of voting I hate it here and I hate hews

And I will be sitting my black behind at home. I encourage other black folks to do the same

Chile, you WW should have been Marching yourselves to those polls to vote against fascism, and for your rights. You choose this evil, accept it! I hope karma gives it to you hard!

[prettyinlimegreenboots]

“Apparently, calling my aunt a “heinous bitch” was not a good thing to do at Christmas dinner and now my entire family is mad at me.” Literally anyone I want to see what you come up with lol

Cursing and Alcohol in here . . . typically mayhem with the Newsies.

Christmas Eve, Medda’s House

“So why are you gracing us with your presence?” Jack asked, leaning back in his chair, cocking an eyebrow at Race and Spot. “Weren’t you going to someone’s house for Christmas Eve?”

They had shown up 20 minutes before dinner was served with a plate of hastily decorated sugar cookies and a basket of Crescent Rolls.

“Apparently, calling my aunt a “heinous bitch” was not a good thing to do at Christmas dinner and now my entire family is mad at me.” Spot spoke up, before taking a sip of his beer.

Medda tisked from the end of the table, shaking her head. “Christmas is a time for family. Their loss and our gain.”

“Speak for yourself, momma. I was actually looking forward to the quietness that’s not Spot and Race combined.” Jack grinned.

Kat reached over and smacked her husband, giving him a look. “Behave, Jack.”

“I just voiced it; you all were thinking it.” Jack said, looking around the table at his siblings.

Kat looked around the table and giggled to herself. Frankly, Crutchie and Smalls were busy eating while Albert and Finch were talking amongst themselves. Romeo’s eyes lit up at something Specs had said. “No one’s paying attention to you Jack.”

Pointing his fork in Small’s direction, Jack grinned at his younger sister. “No one asked you pipsqueak.”

“That nickname is like ten years old, grow up Jackie boy.” Small stuck her tongue out at him, grinning. “Hard to believe you’ll be a dad soon.”

Jack’s eyes went wide, as a grin slid across his face. “And that’s why we still call you pipsqueak. I take offense to the dad comment.”

“No one can believe you’re going to be a dad.” Spot piped up, looking between him and Kat. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone believed you actually proposed to Kat.”

“Anyways . . . sorry momma for showing up unexpectedly.” Race raised his voice, looking between Jack and Medda.

She waved him off. “You know you’re always welcome here, baby.”

“No one likes a suck up, Racer.” Romeo spoke up, as everyone’s eyes drifted to his and Specs’ end of the table.

Race stuck his tongue out at Romeo. “No one asked you Romeo! Go back looking all wide eyed lovey dovey at Specs.”

Medda sighed, shaking her head. “I think I liked it better when you all were teenagers and you didn’t say two words to one another.”

“Oh momma, you love us.” Crutchie spoke up, grinning at her.

Shaking her head, she took a sip from her wine glass, raising her eyebrows. “I will say that the house is definitely more quiet now that everyone but Smalls has moved out.”

“Awww, momma. Are you telling us you miss us?” Albert spoke up, eyes grinning with mischief.

Smalls shook her head, hand hitting the table. “No, no, no. Momma and I are just fine on our own. You five cause enough mischief and mayhem that a quiet house is exactly what we need.”

“I mean, we could all come visit for a long weekend before the baby comes.” Jack suggested, looking around the table at his brothers with a wicked grin on his face.

Smalls threw her head back and groaned. “I’m going to Itey’s for the weekend if that happens.”

“Wait . . .” Spot looked at his sister-in-law with wide eyes. “Itey?”

Her eyes went wide as a “shit” escaped her mouth. “Now Spot, you’re my favorite brother-in-law by far.”

Specs and Finch both argued, looking between the two. Small put up her hand, looking at Spot only. “Itey said he would talk with you but we’ve been together for the last few months.”

Itey was Spot’s adopted brother and the two were close, despite their eight year difference. “I just spoke with him this week and he didn’t say anything to me.”

“Look, I’m sorry that you’re finding about this now but I really like him and he’s been nothing but a perfect gentleman.” Smalls said as her brother’s made sounds of protest. Smalls gave them a look, staring them down. “He’s been good to me, so back down momma bears. Momma likes him and she approves and she’s the only one that I ran it past.”

Spot gave her a look, trying to figure out if she was lying or not. Nodding, he smiled at her. “I’ll give him hell for not telling me.”

The table relaxed as the Race pulled Albert into a conversation while Spot looked at Kat. “How much longer do you have?”

“January 18th is the due date.” She grinned, patting her expanded stomach. “We’re just excited that they’ll be here.”

“Any names picked out?” Specs looked over at them.

Kat and Jack traded looks. “We’ve got a few picked out . . . your brother keeps vetoing the names.”

“She’s doing all the work; she should be vetoing your votes, Jackie.” Small scoffed, looking at her big brother.

Kat looked at her husband pointedly while pointing to his sister. “Thank you, that’s what I’ve been saying all along.”

“If the baby is a boy, she wants to name him Sebastian . . . it’s like he’s some lobster.” Jack rolled his eyes. “Of course I vetoed that one.”

Kat’s eyes went wide. “Like you’re not any better. If the baby is a girl, you want to name her Genevive.”

“Please tell me we’ll get to give him or her nicknames, despite what you name them?” Race asked, looking between Jack and Kat.

Kat glared at Jack. “That’s why I’m trying to pick names that can be shortened into nicknames but your brother keeps vetoing them.”

“At least the middle names are set.” Jack said, throwing his arm over the back of Kat’s chair.

Crutchie’s eyes lit up. “Are we allowed to know that?”

Jack looked at Kat, shrugging. She grinned, nodding. “Elizabeth after her grandmother or Robert after my father.”

Medda grinned, cooing slightly. “Perfect middle names that will go with almost any name.”

“If only we can settle on first names.” Kat sighed, leaning back in her chair. “They’ll be here before we know it.”

Race looked over at Jack. “Can I throw Anthony into the pot?”

“No!” Jack shook his head, as Kat giggled from his side. “One of you is bad enough . . . don’t need another one in my life. Besides, you’ll be their uncle and that’s enough mayhem.”

Medda chuckled, shaking her head. “You’ll know the perfect name when you lay eyes on them for the first time. Don’t fret too much, it’ll come to you.”

“Thanks momma.” Kat smiled at her.

Before long, dinner was cleaned up and put away before they all settled around the Christmas tree in the living room. “So momma, as tradition usually goes, here’s your gift from us.”

Every year, the boys and Smalls got together to get Medda one big gift. They started doing that after they were all adopted. She still got little individual gifts from each of the couples but the big gift was the only gift that was exchanged on Christmas Eve.

Medda’s eyes went wide at the big box as it was slid out from behind the tree. As usual, she was tight lipped about what she truly wanted for the holiday, insisting that time as a family was the best present she could ever ask for.

Grabbing a corner of the wrapping paper, she let out a gasp as she saw the box. It was a KitchenAid Mixer that she had dropped many hints about wanting. Only, Smalls was the one that picked up on it, as none of the boys did. “Oh my, this is perfect.”

“Smalls picked out the color so if you don’t like it, blame her.” Romeo piped up, an oomph escaping his mouth when his younger sister pushed him.

Medda grinned at the deep navy blue mixer before looking at each of her kids. “Thank you. I love the color and I have the perfect space on the counter that this will fit quite nicely in.”

She stood up, tugging each into a hug with a kiss on the cheek before sitting back down with a sigh. “Are you all ready for the next part of the night?”

Another favorite family tradition was one she started when Race was officially adopted into the house, after Jack and Albert. She got a bunch of board games and they played until the boys fell asleep on the floor. Throughout the years, while adding to the family, it’s gotten more and more chaotic. Now they sat around the table and played games, enjoying the company. If you asked any of them, some of their most cherished memories were Christmas Eve game night.

“What are we starting with?” Jack raised an eyebrow, already heading to the game closest to get the designated game.

“Apples to Apples.” Albet called, as the group groaned. Albert somehow always managed to kick their butts at the game.

Jack chuckled, grabbing both the regular version and the extended version of the game before walking back to the living room. Everyone was scattered around so he quickly set it up on the coffee table, motioning everyone to grab their own cards.

The group fell into silence as Jack flipped over a green card. “The first word is Dysfunctional - impaired, damaged and maladjusted.”

“Too bad we can throw Jack’s name in.” Race quipped before a yelp escaped his mouth as Kat pinched his side.

Jack laughed, winking at Kat. “Thanks Kat!”

“Anytime!” She grinned, holding up her cards to pick a red card.

Jack gathered all the red cards that were thrown in before reading them aloud. He quickly threw out three, “The Cold War”, “John F. Kennedy”, and “Blue Jays”, looking around the circle. “Y’all are weird.”

“Just pick one, Jack.” Spot complained as Jack re-read the cards back.

Holding up one, Jack grinned. “Elephants.”

Finch cheered as Jack handed over the green card to him. “So who put in The Cold War and John F. Kennedy?”

Race and Albert both raised their hands as they high fived. “It was a shit card and I was hoping you’d go weird instead of serious.”

“Gotta know your guesser, gents.” Finch grinned as they all picked a red card while Kat picked a green card.

“Outrageous is our next green word.” Kat held up the green card. “Shocking, Scandalous, disgraceful.”

She watched as the group threw in their cards before picking them all up. Reviewing them, she threw her head back and laughed at a few. “Alright, we’ve got Sunday Drivers, Stubbed Toes, Hair transplants, pond scum, my refrigerator, underwear, Abraham Lincoln, Judge Judy, and blood. Wow . . . there’s only one true answer to this . . . pond scum.”

“Yeah baby!” Spot high fived her, gladly accepting the green card from her as she laughed.

The game continued with Chain Letters winning Funny (Romeo), Assembly Lines winning Whimsical (Jack), and Electricity winning Fun (Race). It was soon Medda’s turn to pick a green card. “The next one is Edgy - irritable, nervous, tense.”

Watching everyone throw in a card, she watched Race chuckle to himself. Secretly, she was scared to see what he threw in. “Alright, everyone in? So we’ve got bungee jumping, picking your nose, noisy neighbors, assault and battery, hiccups, buying a house, gang members, NASCAR, and skunks. I’m going to have to go with skunks.”

“Thanks momma!” Race plucked the green card from her hands with a grin.

Smalls rolled her eyes at her brother before picking her own green card. “Warm and Fuzzy - kindhearted, loving, affectionate, aka none of my brothers.”

“See if there’s anything under the tree from us in the morning.” Albert pointed at her as Jack, Cruchie, Romeo, and Race all nodded.

“Moving on . . . throw your cards in, you heathens.” Smalls said, trying to move along the game.

She watched them throw their red cards in before scoping them all up and shuffling them. “So we got carnival workers, velcro, my body, do I need to remind you I’m your sister, ugh . . . oral surgery, reading a book, breaking and entering, fuzz, a tree house, and baby showers.”

She read them all again, biting her lip before sighing. “Gotta go with baby showers.”

Kat cheered, doing a little dance from where she sat. “Thanks Small. Who put in “my body”?”

The silence was deafening as everyone looked at one another before Albert pulled a green card. “That’s probably better left unsaid who threw it in. The next green card is Aged - old, ancient, mature.”

Once all the cards were thrown in, Albert gathered them. With an eyebrow raised, he started reading through them. “Leeches, pyramids, freshwater pearls, the Grand Canyon, My Love Life, Fred Flintstone, London, Diamonds, and Mount Rushmore . . . wow did you all just decide to dump your shit cards in this round?”

“Best way to get rid of them.” Race grinned. “Besides, you picked a shit green card.”

Everyone murmured their agreeance as Albert continued to stare at the red cards.

“Uhhh . . . I’m leaning towards two.” Albert ran his hand down his chin as he reviewed the two choices. “I’m going to go with My Love Life.”

“Thanks Albie!” Race grabbed the green card, laughing wildly.

Spot looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Should I take offense to that?”

“Hell no . . .all I meant was that you’re older than me so you’re aged like fine wine.” Race shrugged, leaning over and capturing Spot’s lips in a kiss. “Hmmmm . . . fine wine dear sir.”

His sibling erupted in various gags and complaints as they all moved to shove Spot and Race apart.

“I think we’re done with Apples to Apples.” Medda said, giving her children a glance. “What’s next?”

As they argued between Pictionary and Catch Phrases, Medda sat back in her chair and had the biggest smile on her face. She was glad all of her children and their significant others were all safe, sound, and in one place, even though they were causing a big ruckus; she wouldn’t have it any other way.

So I may have been flipping through Apples to Apples cards to help me out in this section. Feedback would be wonderful and amazing. Thanks @deliciouspeachpirate for sending this in! Feedback would be amazing and much appreciated!!!