Lingering and our Christmas 2011

Our Christmas weekend was wonderful and we're trying to squeeze every last ounce of our holiday out before it's completely gone.

I've said before that I don't rush into de-Christmasing.

That year was also the year that Christmas became magical.  Big Brother was 2, and he was just starting to get it.

Watching Christmas through his eyes was both simple and beautiful.

Our family has grown since then, and so has the anticipation and excitement of the season grown.

I love it.

Would you like a beautifully adorned "Folk Art" sign like mine?  Just have your well-intentioned pediatrician give a sheet or two of stickers to your toddler.  Should work like a charm.

And a teeny, tiny peek into our weekend:

We always host Christmas Eve with my side of the family.

WAY too much food as usual.

I made these brandy slushes, which may or may not have resulted in mama having a headache opening presents the next morning.

Oops.

Silly Grandma making the boys laugh with her bow head piece.

Great Grandpa Jack, the youngest almost 90 year old you'll ever meet.

Then on Christmas day we head my in laws' house.

They take Christmas seriously.  A 20 foot tree seriously.

Santa even manages to make time in his busy schedule to drop by.

Again, the wonder and the beauty of it all is heart warming.

And so, with just a few days left in the year and a smidge of Christmas vacation to go, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy.

Hope you do, too.

xoxo