The Christmas Post

What a wonderful Christmas we had! So much so that I just want to relax and revel in the joy it brought. That's why I have been postless for nearly a week! My Mom, Dad and sister, Leah, came in during the week leading up to Christmas and it was...what can I say? It was perfect! I love my family and miss them so much already. What a joy it is to share this special season with them whom my heart loves completely!

As I was looking over the photos we took of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, various Christmas songs would pop into my head that had to do with the pictures. No wonder we love Christmas music so much! It's that nostalgia, joy, love and peace that fills our hearts every time we hear those songs that remind us of Christmases past. We live those songs every Christmas season and just hearing the music brings us back into those warm, family-and-joy-filled days, and give us a soundtrack to the new memories being made.

Walking In a Winter Wonderland

Christmas Monkey (Haven't heard that one yet? Get yourself a toddler who loves Curious George and buy him George's Christmas movie. Who knew the Man with the Yellow Hat had such a great voice?! Here are two of our Christmas Monkeys.)

What Child Is This? (Mine! And I love him so!)

Away in a Manger (The reading of the Christmas story from the scriptures.)

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (I know, that reindeer doesn't have a red nose, but that didn't stop the song from popping into my head whenever that booty was exposed!)

I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas (Or way too much!! These boys must have been extra good this year, new Wii games, Nintendo DS, books galore, Bakugan, skateboards, special photo books, pictures for the office, Webkinz, home made blankets, movies, 250 temporary tattoos-ugh!-and so much more!)

Adam and my Dad worked all week to get the kid-museum-style peg board marble track put together in time for Christmas morning.

It was an instant hit! The boys love it!

I'll Be Home For Christmas (If Home is Where the Heart Is, than we were definitely home for Christmas....)

Santa Claus is Comin' To Town I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Jolly Old Elf

Silent Night

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire (OK, so I know that's not the song's name, and no, we didn't actually roast chestnuts, but we did eat ALL KINDS of yummy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebration food...home made Dark Chocolate mousse-good one, Mom!-ham, roasted veggies, stilton scalloped potatoes, hot cross buns, aebelskivers, beef stew...mmmmm.)

Let It Snow! (There is nothing more cool-literally and figuratively-than a white Christmas!)

This is the reason that I sometimes break out my Christmas Favorites playlist in July. Just so I can hear the songs and remember all these good times; and begin the great excitement build-up for the new ones to come!

From reading other posts it sounds like it was a magical season for all! It certainly was for us!

Merry Christmas!

Son of God,

Love's Pure Light...

Be with you this day, and throughout the year.

Deep Lessons From the Dog Two

Sometimes people can be pretty moronic; but when you have love in your heart, you can forgive anything.

I Dare You to Try to Do It Without Smiling

Yesterday we went up to the mountains with our good friends the Maloys, to a great sledding spot they found last winter near The Crags, on the back of Pike's Peak. The sledding area had changed a bit, a big parking lot had been built, but it was still so great. There is something about sledding that puts a big grin on your face, as you fly down the hill on the slick, soft snow. Honestly, we were having such a good time, you couldn't have wiped the smiles away!

Ruby got a kick out of racing Adam and I down the hill then welcoming us to the bottom with licks and attempts to join us on the sled.

Sadly, Zach wasn't feeling well, so he ended up staying home with my dad, who is taking care of his back strain and wasn't going to be able to sled anyway. But my mom went with us and took a few turns on the hill herself!

Luke, who doesn't have a lot of daredevil in him, wasn't interested in going down any of the slopes, but he did discover that being pulled along the flat snow on the sled wasn't all that bad.

Ben's two front top teeth are getting ready to fall out. You can see the funny gap that has formed to the left of them. This might be the last picture I get of those sweet baby teeth!

Josh had so much fun! He tends to start complaining of cold or tiredness with a lot of outdoor winter activities, but he didn't complain at all yesterday. It was great! He just headed up the slopes, dragging his sled, and flew down them time after time.

Ruby was having a great time too.

The day was beautiful and warmish in the sun!

Luke is the only one who got a little cold from time to time, but we always got him warmed up again; sometimes with extra jackets, sometimes with kisses. Tommy was so snuggled in, he was toasty warm! He didn't even wake up until just before we were getting ready to go home. Of course then he needed to eat, and then spit up all over me and himself, and blew out of his diaper in volumes, all of which I was trying to clean up with him on my lap in the car with the doors closed to the cold...and one wipe. It was quite the disgusting challenge! I guess that did wipe the smile off my face for a bit.

Here he is with Daddy, re-diapered, re-dressed, re-bundled, and getting a wee taste of chilly mountain air.

Jen and Vern brought their camp stove with some cocoa to share, so we all found a tasty way of warming up as the sun moved behind the trees and the temperature fell.

When can we go again?!