This Christmas season

It was the year ...

I let the kids decorate the tree entirely on their own.

Henry was inspired by a theater production of "Drumming with Dishes" to create kitchen-themed holiday deco.

We got a little snow (and two days off from school) early in December.

 

 

 

 

G&G sent the fancy wreath from Christmas Forest.

St. Lucia's Day went beautifully even while Mama lingered in bed with a stomach bug.

 

 

Lili made the Chex Party Mix all by herself.

The boys helped with the candycane cookies for Santa.

Calvin arranged the veggie platter in the shape of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Despite her age and better judgement, Ter-Ter frolicked with the tree a little.

 

We started the tradition of the Christmas fish (and grilled steaks for those who prefer to not have their dinner staring right back at them).

 

Calvin attempted his first fish eyeball.

 

...and regretted it a little.

There were flurries and friends as we let out of Christmas Eve worship, following Papa's first time holding the communion chalice, where he heroically prevented two near-double-dippings.

We had the bushiest tree yet, and under it, the most presents ever. 

 

 

 

The waiting was so hard.

 

 

 

There were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Everywhere.

  

 

Auntie Steph gave those cool pop-up books.

The kids were most thoughtful.

 

The Legos just kept coming.

Papa destroyed the livingroom with remote-control helicopters from G&G.

Nana remembered a love for Star Wars. Grandpa V remembered a love for books. Uncle C and Nana remembered a love for American Girl crafts. Tio and Tia stunned us all with a Skylanders Wii.

 

 

 There were awesome games and fancy-shaped pasta from Uncle C and Aunt K. 

Mama got her iPhone and Papa loved his new sweater.
Papa enjoyed almost an entire month off of work.
Papa and Mama watched the Godfather trilogy.
The family made it's annual pilgrimage to the movie theater and watched Frozen, followed by lunch at the world's most disgusting and poorly managed Ruby Tuesday's in America.

And there was love -- an overwhelming amount of it. Enough that no amount of sibling spats, tiredness on the heels of a late night waiting for Santa and parental impatience could topple for the length of our two-week Christmas break.

And probably, we'll remember this as one of the really good years, maybe the best of all.

(I'm back-posting some items from the year that hadn't yet made it to the blog. If you're interested, they are here , here and here.)