Hello?

Anybody out there?

Surely you've left me for more talkative pastures. I wouldn't blame you a bit.

I've opened Blogger several times in the past few days intending to blow the dust off this silly little bog of mine. And then I've felt overwhelmed by the task of trying to do some sort of holiday recap and I've moved on to something more fun. Like laundry or putting away Christmas ornaments.

The Type-A, OCD part of me (which, let's face it, is WAY more than just part of me) dictates that I try to summarize the fun and togetherness and wonder of our family's Christmas. And indeed, there was fun and togetherness and wonder. I hope there was for you as well.

Unfortunately, I find myself with neither time (Hello laundry piles and still-decorated house!) or inclination (Hello post-Christmas and back-to-school melancholy!) to go into too much detail. So instead, I offer for posterity just a few of the pictures from our Christmas at home.



We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family by renting a condo in Branson for a few days. Uncle Justin and Aunt Kacy didn't want to haul this cool easel all the way to Missouri so they let the girls open it a few days before Christmas. Caroline used it to welcome Santa. (That drawing under "love" is a manger.)  I'm sure Santa especially appreciated his milk being served in the plastic kid's cup from Mama Kwan's in the Outer Banks. And because I know you were wondering the answer is YES, we are extremely classy.




Here's Henry on the day the girls opened their easel. I had to include this picture because my Father-in-Law would look at this picture and say, "Well, that's a mistake!" Doesn't it just look like my son is contemplating all the damage he could do with that marker? They were promptly moved out of reach.

Too excited to sleep......





Probably the strangest stocking stuffer I've ever bought one of my kids.....hole punch reinforcers for her beloved binder.  She was delighted as only a true office-supply connoisseur could be.

Here's my girl rocking the purple necklace that Santa brought.  Charlotte asked Santa for a purple necklace and bracelet, a Barbie fishing pole and a Charlie Brown Christmas movie.  Her list was nothing if not varied.

Here's Jason's contribution to our holiday decor.  He gave this FRAG-EEE-LAY treasure as a gift a few years ago for the Men's gift exchange at his extended family's Christmas party.  A couple years later it was regifted to him, much to my dismay.  In spite of his assurances that "It's a Major Prize!!" I just can't love it.

Happy girl....

 

Santa brought Henry a basketball hoop, which he loved........



.....but not quite as much as the slide his sisters fashioned for him from the box!

  Well, there were many more get-togethers with grandparents and great-grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and even Cooper, our beloved Christmas snow baby!  There were many more pictures and stories and memories made, but if I share them all I'll be late to pick Charlotte up and Caroline will miss piano lessons.  So, I'll go and move on with you into 2011.  I can't wait to see what it has in store for all of us.