Our Christmas.

How was your Christmas? Ours was relaxing, joyful, merry. It was good to be home this year and to start a few traditions of our own.

One new tradition is decorating our tree together (remember how I mentioned our slightly awkward tree? It’s looking awfully pretty these days, gappy though may it be.) Liv comes come from school begging to ‘decorate the tree’ each night!

Another is Liv’s advent pouches – she unwrapped a new piece of our nativity scene each day (which I kept in mini numbered burlap pouches), I love to watch her rearrange the little shepherds and sheep around Mary and Joseph.

We’ve been listening to a lot of Bing Crosby and Dean Martin these days (Swingin’ Christmas on Pandora via a friend’s recommendation) – that’s the blue screen there in the background. And here’s my merry pillow project from last year.

We play games in our PJs and sit by the tree talking about the real reason for the season. (Or trains).

And then, Christmas morning! A first for us in the Santa department.

A princess dress for Liv per her request. Wrapping paper for Taylor.

Santa is so thoughtful.

This Christmas morning was one of the best yet.

(If hair is any indication of happiness, nana & papa totally nailed it with the new puppet set.)

Post-gift unwrapping, Kev made us all an amazing brunch. Notice something new in the middle of the table? Kevin got me a new rack.

Wait, that didn’t come out right. Kevin’s Christmas present to me was awesome this year! (and they’re authentic). Hmmm. That’s still not right. Needless to say, my new antlers are finding a new home somewhere in our casa (or in the vicinity there of).

We were missing a few family members this year. Uncle Andy is over in Israel for a short time for school, our aunt and cousins arrived later that day, we’ll drive out to Arizona for Kevin’s brother’s wedding soon. But keeping it small is not always so bad.

Now back to a weekend of Christmas. The beauty about Christmas falling mid-week is that it’s sandwiched perfectly by two weekends – one for last-minute gifts, one for extending Christmas just a few more days.