Christmas

This was a fun fun season for us. We got to have a little girl around that kind of gets what is going on. I put a little tree up in her room so that she could have it on and so we could start the brainwashing as early as possible.

Audrey helped put up decorations on our Christmas tree, and then re-put them up at least once a day! :) She did benefit a couple times from all the sweets around by grandparents that just couldn't hold their strength any longer.

There is so much specialness at this time of year and I look forward to it at least 6 months out of the year.

Charles spent our first part of the holiday by ourselves this year. My parents went over to the West to be with Jill and her family to do their thing. But we decided to start out own little tradition. We had our own nice dinner and opened Audrey some cute pj's and then put her to bed. Then Charles set up a sheet on the firplace and his projector and we got to sit and watch a huge Christmas movie all curled up under the tree and lights. It was awesome. We watched Fred Claus which I think was way funnier than I thought it would be.

We didn't get to open presents until 4 pm because Peter had to work until 3 and then they came over to be with us. It was ok though because it was already dark enough to have all the lights on so it felt like Christmas anyway. We did wake Audrey up...poor thing. At 7 am because I just couldn't wait anymore. Seeing as I have been waking up early to get a run in before Audrey wakes up....and I was so excited that I just couldn't handle it anymore....I think I did pretty well. So we sat on the stairs and sang Christmas carols till Grandma and Grandpa said we could come upstairs and then we got to see what Santa brought us. We had a couple of fun toys out for Audrey and it was the funnest thing to see her eyes look over at them, register that these were new toys and then off she went. Unfortunately this is the age where kids start to like noise making toys so you always regret your decision a couple days later. But she is cute with her little rolling trike type thing and her spin toy that of course she has no idea how to use.

We all made out pretty well considering we all tried to keep it light. This was a year I put some real effort into making gifts. I made a SUPER cute apron for Colleen, and I made a couple proclamation on the family frames from start to finish. I made the frames from a solid strip of wood in my woodshop class. Dad bought me a matte cutter (a little early) as my gift so I cut the matting, I took and printed each picture, and I put the wording to the proclamation on the family around each matte. I had made one of these earlier for our family if you remember. I made a collage frame for Charles that turned out pretty good looking even though it was WAY too much drama, in fact all of these projects was a lot of drama and I have learned a lot. Oh and please....just to brag. I made these HUGE frames for about $20 a peice, frame, glass, wood, matte, and print. If anyone EVER needs anything framed....It is so much cheaper to do it by hand. Let me know...I have and can get the materials.

I got Charles a huge tool chest for all his random tools everywhere. That was my first awesome craigslist find. And he the most awesome husband ever got me a NEW LENS!!! OH I love it. It is not the $1000 lens that would have been my do it all lens...but I can now FINALLY shoot closer than 4 feet away. Actually I can shoot up to 8 inches away! YEA!!! HURRAY!!! ALLELUIA!!!

We had a great holiday and we hope everyone else did too. I love Christmas and I love what it celebrates. It is the best reason to have a holiday. Hope you all remember that and had a great one. We love you!