a merry merry day

we're home and recouping from a marvelous month of christmas.

we loved being with the people we love- most:
our kindred spirited cousins,
our doting grandparents,
and our fun loving aunties & uncles...

but before we spent time with them-
we celebrated our own christmas together- just us.

on our "christmas eve,"
we went on our traditional car ride looking a christmas lights,
while in our pajamas, and along with our "cuddly" things {blankies, etc.}.




on "christmas" morning,
we slipped our feet into our new christmas slippers,
{and my ever thrifty mr. m. insisted on re-gifted slippers from last year-
at least to himself}.




we savored our favorite cinnamon
rolls with cinnamon crunchies,




and mr. m. built a fire in the fire place
even though the high was 55....so, it was a little toasty by lunch time.

we treasured this little girls brown eyed sparkle over the lights and smells of the morn,




and we spent some time lighting the last advent candle-
which stands for Jesus' birth.




it was important for us to reflect the greatest Gift we've been given-
the reason we exchange gifts on this day-
before opening our own.




we always gift our children a book on christmas.
it's usually something to do with one of their "favorites," a stage they are in.
this year mr. m. & i added ourselves to the book gifting.




for our childrens books- we love writing a personal note inside.
it's short {& sweet} telling them why we picked it,
and that we're thrilled to spend this christmas with them- in our family!

we read all their notes,
one by one, out loud.




then we brace ourselves for the chaos ahead-
and try to encourage a self controlled approach to opening gifts,




which never happens....
ha. ha. ha...or...ho. ho. ho!




i love to hear the whispered gasps of excitement......
and i try not to stifle the screeches and whoops of delight.

nboys favorite gift....a cd mr.m. burned with the star wars theme song on it...
which we listened to all.day.christmas.day.long.....




rbaby's favorite gift....the box from ggirls gift.
in which she happily sat ignoring her own new gifts.




and lastly, we end.
with mr.m's persisting tradition of a silly christmas picture.
{it's hard to believe it's been a whole year since this one}