Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2018 was a picture perfect affair, with all the trimmings and trappings, the family and food, the presents galore.  Everything Christmas should be.  Sitting here on the other side of it, we are a bit overwhelmed by empty boxes and laundry and a messy house and the general loss of all sense of time and nutrition that comes at this time of year... The after-effects of a marvelous holiday! 

 A moment to look back at the still-wrapped presents and the magic in the air before we box it all up to prepare for the New Year...


We got the holiday off to a great start with Becca's arrival on the 24th.  My foodie sister picked the West Side Market for our meetup and we had so much fun exploring and taste-testing and enjoying the crowds...

Lunch at Market Garden Brewery was pretty OK too.

Then, home to prepare for the evening.  We hosted a simple Christmas Eve supper, with Boston Market chicken supplemented by a delicious potato and carrot dish from Bec and Anna's famous rice.

In a slight break from tradition, we let our present-crazed children open 2 gifts each (from their Auntie and Gram) BEFORE church.  Crazy, I tell ya.

Gram hid 5 dollar bills inside this book for our money-loving Jack.  She's so creative.

I love having my sister home!

Church was simply lovely.  Our little two were asked to do a scripture reading and did a great job with Isaiah 9, 2-7.  The music was sublime-- a guest pipe and fiddle player and Amanda's singing and playing-- with plenty of opportunities to enjoy singing classic carols from the comfort of the congregation for once.  Silent night, candlelit... looking around at the faces of all the new friends we've made here, the church full and vibrant with family and friends...  a wonderful moment.

Back home for one more present...

...and getting ready for Santa (Ivy still believes!)...

... and a reading of Night Before Christmas...

Then off to bed for the little ones and time for Santa-mommy to do her work.

My favorite moment of the entire year, right here.

... and worth the tying of every bow to see this in the morning. (That's Ivy as she jumps with joy...)

Merry Christmas to my sweeties...

Winter found her first Christmas with our family to be confusing, awesome, and exhausting.

Luckily she was given a new dog bed to nap in.

This picture was posed after breakfast... and after we put presents BACK under the tree!  The kids had plowed through their piles while the adults had barely started... so we decided to make Christmas last longer by starting completely over. 

 The "big gifts" this year were not so terribly big... two tiny baby rats for our pet-loving girl..

 ... and "boy's first phone" for our tech-loving son.

Leaving our porch looking like this... 

 ...we had a smooth and easy drive to NY and within moments our crew had slipped into "cousin mode."

 I just love these kids together.  They are entirely too big these days, though!

 Time for another Christmas!

 Lauren loved our gift of Skyline Chili. :)

 And... all snugged in at Lulu's house.  At bedtime Ivy said to me, "this is a good house."  Indeed, little one.  A good house to spend a few more days of holiday leisure...which will be detailed for you in the next post!