Another Christmas

Was it just me or did Christmas Break fly by this year? I'm usually ready to send kids back to school come January but this year it was too fast. Then again, it is nice to get back into a routine.

This was the busiest December of my life. I was so busy doing other things I hardly got to my Christmas stuff. Wrapping up Reflections and getting the awards here on time put so many things on the back burner...like my Christmas cards. They're still there.

True to form, my children again preferred to make their own gifts for each other. I love that about them. Miles spent a whole afternoon making a calendar for the girls. Emily made a beautiful frame for Matt. Lucy gave Emily a snowflake garland--same thing as last year but she was just as excited.

Last summer my mom took Lucy and her cousin Mallory shopping to buy dress ups at the D.I. That could be a whole blog post in and of itself. Funny girls. Lucy picked out a pink shirt that she has worn a couple of times as a dress. A few days before Christmas Lucy placed a gift under the tree that she had wrapped for Matt and me. She was so excited for us to open it. It was her dress up shirt. I can't figure out why Matt hasn't worn it yet.

We were able to surprise Miles this year. He came down the stairs to see some mediocre presents from Santa. He was trying to be gracious but just as Matt pretended to quote him, you could tell he wanted to say, "Just what I never wanted." Then one of his presents under the tree started to ring.

Yep, we got him a cell phone. He kept saying, "I love you! I love you!"

So what kind of gift could we get for Emily when her brother is getting a cell phone? Go with sentiment. You can read about her gift here.

Lucy wanted a dress up wedding dress. Santa's elves worked feverishly to put sleeves on the prettiest dress found (with a little help--thanks Jamie!) and make a wedding veil. I made a bouquet of white roses to give her too. Lucy wore this dress for three days straight and she asks every Sunday if she can wear it to church.

Even Boo got into the gift giving. Well, at least the wrapping paper.

New Year's Eve was one of our favorites. Matt invited all the Young Men and Young Women to come over for a party. I love the youth! I love their energy. I love having them in our home. I think we should do it every year.

So all in all, it was a wonderful holiday season. Next year I hope to pull those Christmas cards off the back burner and actually send them.