Christmas 2009

My goodness...it seems like just yesterday I was writing about how EXCITED I was to bring on the holiday season, and now it's wrapping up right before our very eyes!!! But, Christmas of 2009 was a wonderful one, short as it seemed..and, the New Year is upon us. The earth has been blanketed with snow, I'm sipping my coffee, reflecting on the majesty of the season, (as much as one can reflect with two small children dancing and jumping around while Laurie Berkner sings in the background :) and dreaming about how nice it would be to go back to bed to reflect! Ha!

I was dreaming of a white Christmas, and it seemed as if our prayers would be answered, when we received a wonderful Christmas surprise on Saturday the 19th....SNOW!!!! Driving up the hill to my parents house that morning was truly breath-taking. Like a winter wonderland...just heavenly. All the trees canopied the road, and the puffy white snow upon the branches was a graceful and beautiful site to behold! Ahhhhh....Merry Christmas!!! But, the weather forecast was not to cooperate with my dreams for a white Christmas. It warmed up on Christmas eve, though the rain held off--so we had a white Christmas eve, at least. On Christmas morning, we woke up to the rain...pelting on the windows. Ick. But, the magic of Christmas allowed us to forget about the un-cooperative weather, and concentrate on the glory of the day.

The kids definitely made Christmas. Considering they have consumed hardly a morsel of food over the last couple of weeks that doesn't contain sugar as the first and foremost ingredient, they were in super-duper rare form! Brookie was the highlight of Christmas eve, running the "loop" inside my parents house, stripping naked, and slapping her little behind the whole distance. Brad and Anna lovingly dubbed her "cave girl". Even with her beautiful new fur coat from Auntie Anna, she still managed to earn the title with her grunts, points, and crazy antics!

The girl still loves her candy canes!

Opening a present that wasn't even for her....sorry Ellie! ;)

WE all sat down to a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner--minus Daddy, who had to work until 7:45 on Christmas Eve...much to our (and his) dismay. Brad and Anna were the Manhattan makers (gag me with a spoon--I stuck to my vino :), and Mimi even had beautiful table gifts for all. Spectacular!

Table gifts!

Connor and his shades, opening his gift with Gramps!

Brad....beer...Yum!!!


Church was...interesting...the kids aren't so awesome at sitting in church, but we made it! Unscathed...nearly. I was letting Brooke climb the stairs up to the third floor to burn some energy, when she tripped and cracked her head on the metal railing--sending the two nursery workers running out to see what happened. She cried for awhile, and had a good lump, but quickly recovered enough to *almost* disrupt the sermon! Ha! The best part was when I busted out a candy cane before a prayer thinking that would keep them distracted, but instead, Brooke shouts.."YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY" VERY loudly...like I said, the girl loves her candy canes! ;)

After Church, before Christmas Eve presents...

The kiddos in rare form...(or maybe not so rare :)


Trying on my new pj top! ;)


And, our night culminated with a visit from Rudolph. Yes, you read that right, Rudolph. Mr. Connor has decided that he's not such a fan of the Man in red, so we left a letter asking Rudolph to come instead. And, he obeyed Connor's wishes!



He even ate the red pepper (we didn't have any carrots ;)!

Rodolph left some wonderful gifts for us all, and we had a wonderful morning opening presents at home, going back to Mimi and Grandpas (where Santa was permitted to come--since Connor didn't sleep in the premises ;), and then to Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house to have Christmas dinner and open MORE presents! Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera Christmas day, so you'll have to do without the visuals! :) We had a wonderful Christmas, and are hoping that all of our wonderful friends and family did, too!!

Wishing you all a happy and blessed 2010!!!

XOXO!!!