Merry Christmas

Each year it amazes me how much work it takes to pull off a holiday season.  Don't get me wrong, much of that work is really enjoyable work, meaningful, valuable, sentimental....  Even amidst promises to keep it simple, there are things that remain very important to me to mark the holiday.

We kicked off our festivities with our annual Christmas Eve gathering at our house.  John (with a small assist from me) makes the most wonderful array of appetizers.  We munch on tasty food and enjoy a casual evening together after candlelight services at church. 

The glass aftermath.... There was some wine and some bourbon consumed...

Perhaps the best Christmas gift given this year was a new cell phone to Ava.  Yes, she is only 9 years old....  We got her a very basic cell phone with only texting and phone capabilities.  (No internet, no smart phone etc....)  We don't have a home phone and more and more often there are occasions that it would have been nice/helpful for her to have a phone.  There are rules, of course, but she is be.side.her.self. to have a phone.  In a One Direction case no less.  Here she models her new outfit, new phone with her jealous little sister.... (also in a new outfit - thanks Grandma Marilyn!)

We also had a visit from Betsy, Mack AND BABY ALIVIA!!!!  She is such a sweet little girl and it was so nice to have the time with them and soak up all the babyness!  The A girls on Christmas day....

A 5am wake up, two Christmas celebrations, all the excitement and energy was too much for Amelia who crashed hard on the couch.  While I was catching up with Betsy at my folks house, John texted me this picture saying Amelia was down for the count.....

Another Christmas morning tradition are cinnamon rolls.  Not just any cinnamon rolls, but Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls. I went on ahead and made the big batch freezing the rest to make the trip to Brian and Hilary's later this week.  They too love a good cinnamon roll and there's practically nothing I like better than to cook for people I love....

Christmas card photo - 2012....  Maybe my favorite one yet.