Merry Christmas!

I hope you are all enjoying your holidays. I love Christmas. This year was a little tough, as San Antonio doesn't have snow, or evergreens, or mountains, or any family. But we do have holiday craziness which appears to be a rampant epidemic throughout the US. Try as I might to get Christmas cards out, presents bought, goodies sent to friends, packages mailed on time, and a slew of other Christmas "to-do"s, it didn't happen this year. I did get presents bought, but that was about it. The BK and I were put in charge of our Church Christmas Party, and combined with trying to work part-time and wrangle my kids, not much else got done.

That said, it ended up being a very nice and quiet Christmas at our house (as quiet as things ever are around here - in part because the LG ended up sick which means he actually laid around with us on the couch for a few hours ; ). A couple of images of our Christmas celebration follow.

Here is the LG playing with the nativity that Grandma sent in response to my complaining about the kids not leaving my nice nativity alone. When she said she was sending a nativity the kids could play with, I was thinking plastic, not clay so the heads and other body parts could pop/shatter/break. That's okay though, the kids still had a great time. As you can see, the LG set up shop in his fire station, while the TP just carried around baby Jesus in his manger sqwuaking, "baby, baby". She seemed content with this unfair division of assets (there were about 10 pieces), and so did the LG, so who am I to point out the inequity of their sharing arrangement?


This should give you a good idea of the weather around here in December. It also demonstrates the havoc 2 children and a negligent BK (he failed to water anything when I was on vacation with the kids in UT) can wreak on a beautiful patio garden (okay, so it was never that beautiful). Where once grew a few legitimate plants, we now have a "dirt" box, a garden hat, and 2 race cars. Not a bad trade from the kids' perspective. Or the BK's apparently as he was amused enough to take pictures rather than send them both to time out in the tub.


Before I say anything about the Church Christmas Party, just let me say, "Please, Lord, please, never again!" Seriously, not my cup of tea. That said, I think it went pretty well. It was sort of an out of body experience. The kind where you know you were there, but don't really remember much of what was going on. You can catch a glimpse of what it looked like, as well as my children having the time of their lives running with free reign in a large gym. I'm pretty sure the experience rivaled that of Christmas morning. As for me, I was just glad it was all over.




The LG got to be Rudolph for the Christmas festivities at preschool. His nose was red for 3 days as he wouldn't let me wash it off.


An example of why it was time the TP got some "girl toys" as the LG put it when he saw her toys at Christmas. Poor thing is often dressed in the LG's hand-me-downs like his red airplane jammies and green hoodie, and daddies shoes. She even makes flying airplane noises, and calls all little people "guys". Yup, time for some girl toys around here.


Christmas Eve preview: pajamas and books to make sure the kids slept well while Santa was at work.


Shock-and-Awe of Christmas morning.


Little momma in her new little kitchen.


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! We love you all (you know who you are ; )