The Holidays

My cameras have been pretty fickle lately, so I don't really have photos to post.  Sorry, this is just a summary of what has been happening over the past month or so.

We didn't get to travel as a family for Christmas this year, but we did enjoy a Christmas Eve together as our own little family.  We read the nativity story from the Bible while drinking egg nog (Canon's favorite part) and sitting by the Christmas tree (Canon loves the lit up tree at night too).  We tried to help Canon get excited about Santa Claus coming that night, but honestly, I think the excitement will just have to wait until next year.  He just doesn't get the whole "opening presents is totally awesome and tons of fun" concept just yet.

This past Christmas morning was probably the last relaxing Christmas morning I will get for a LONG time.  We ate a nice breakfast skillet dish and opened our presents by the tree.  Canon got tons of clothes because he really needed them, but it turns out that he's already starting to outgrow them.  (Why don't they make a size between 12 months and 18 months?  They were doing it by 3 months all along, and now I don't get a 15 month option?  What gives?!?!)  Canon also got a bunch of fun toys from family, one of which took all his attention away from his other presents and he didn't want to open any more.  He just wanted to sit and play with it.  (Thanks Brian and Tiff!)  Another significant gift that Canon received was a boat toy that played fun sounds and a cute little song.  It was just the ticket to motivate Canon to go from the baby tub to the big tub.  (I've tried to do this a couple times, but he would just scream and wail, and then when I tried to get him back into the baby tub, he just refused to bathe...screaming his head off!)  He now bathes in the regular tub.

Mark got a jump rope, a work-out video for the jump rope, some new white shirts fo work, a few books, and a Kindle eReader.  He seems to really like the Kindle, and he uses it every day. It fits right into his suit jacket inside pocket, so he also downloaded the scriptures onto it and brings it to church.  He seems to be happy with his gifts.

I got three new outfits, some new baking sheets and whisks (which I really needed) and a couple of work-out videos (which I really appreciate, by the way! None of this- "Oh, I don't think you need to change...you look beautiful the way you are..." kind of comments here.  I want to work out and lose a few pounds, and videos are the only way I'll end up doing it.  YESSS!!!)  I also got some fun jewelry, so that really adds to my new outfits. Overall we got really nice loot for Christmas, and it took us about a week to finally get all our stuff out of that room. 

Christmas afternoon we had an invitation to attend Christmas dinner with the family of a friend from church.  It was so nice to be included with a larger family this year.  We enjoyed playing games, chit-chatting, and just being with fun people.  It made us a little homesick for family to be close-by, but I think that it would've been worse if we were at home without anyone.  It was a great Christmas.  (Thanks Cousineau Family!)

For New Years Eve we invited a bunch of people from church over for a party.  It turned out that all but one family either backed-out or already had plans. At least that one family came though.  It was still a lot of fun because we had a group big enough to play Bang!.  They also introduced us to a game... I think it's called Ruckus.  Overall, the party wasn't as big as we had originally anticipated, but it was still a good time. (Thanks Hatch Family!)

I hope you all had a great Christmas and are making your 2011 a fabulous year!