I just realized I did not post one picture or one word about our Christmas this year.

I am over here knee-deep in Christmas decorations that are heading back into their crates for another year and I figured I might want to write a bit – or at least post some photos – to have recorded proof that Christmas really did come to our house this year.

In fact, it came fast and furiously for weeks on end. But once the last treats were made, the last gift was wrapped, and the final carol sung in the Christmas pageant – our Christmas was perfect. It was full of family time, relaxing in jammies all day and even…gasp(!) a nap for Mama for a bit on Christmas afternoon. Exactly what we all needed.

But let’s back up a bit. After we got that pesky school stuff out of the way, we prepped for our Christmas pageant. The dress rehearsal was a little scary (isn’t it always?) but both of our angels knew their lines and were ready to go come showtime.

Angel #1 got to join chime choir this year and she was very excited to be ringing Mama’s favorite song (Angels We Have Heard on High.)

And both Angels sang their hearts out. Unfortunately, Addie is behind Miss Suzanne for a lot of both songs, and I’m a horrible videographer, trying to juggle around and get them in, but you can see them in two of their songs here and here if you would like. I can hear both of the girls at different points in the video, their sweet little voices. They did an excellent job…even though they were exhausted.

(Poor tired little Em is on top middle – Addie is lower right. Yes, the little Filipino girl in the bottom left does have a wig on…strange, no?)

But strangely as soon as the pageant was over they found a surplus of energy that had been hidden and we all let a little crazy out.

I did manage to rein my family in for a somewhat decent photo before we headed off to look at Christmas lights and prepare our stockings and Santa letters.

My favorite street – a few blocks from us. They light up all the big trees up and down both sides.

I would just like to add for the record that Mama and Daddy were in bed by 11pm, maybe 11:30, on Christmas Eve. We were kinda prepared and able to enjoy a minute of peace.

And we were in bed before Santa visited, and he did come!

I heard the girls get up at 6:30 on Christmas morning to use the bathroom, but nobody came creeping into our room. So I laid there for about 15 minutes and then got up to investigate. The girls were snuggled on the bottom bunk playing Old Maid. When I said “Merry Christmas – what are you girls doing?” – Emma said, “Well, it wasn’t 7:00 yet, so we didn’t want to wake you up – but can we go downstairs, now??” Sweet girls. I forgot to tell them that our “Do Not Disturb Mom & Dad Before 7am” rule doesn’t really apply on Christmas Day.

We all got some a-maize-ing loot.

Em was most excited by the Wicked tickets that Santa brought the whole family. (Ok, Mama was pretty excited, too!)

Addie pretty much liked all of her goodies – but this one from Daddy is sure to be a hit.

The best gift of the day – there was a very elaborately wrapped box with a great handmade tag, To: Mom, From: Jelly Bean and Peanut. And the box had 72 cents. It was all the change Addie had in her purse, so she wrapped it up for me. Love those two.

The aftermath.

So we took our time cleaning it up, indulged in some Zingerman’s chocolate bread, played outside at the park, took a little nap, grilled dinner outside and finished the day off with our whole family in our bed starting Harry Potter – book #2.

It was a practically perfect in every way Christmas.