"Tis the Season

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone and the new year has begun!  We have had a wonderful Holiday season and here are a few bits I will share with you.

Christmas eve we read from Luke.  Seeing as how we have someone to be the perfect Mary we had to act out the birth of Christ.  It's tradition, you know.

Mercedes as Mary, and Taylor as Joseph.

 (Mary going for a walk?)

 Mary laying baby Jesus in the manger.  (Warmed this mother's heart).

Mercedes visiting the stable animal.

After the reading we all vegged and had a good Christmas Eve.

 Here are Mercedes and Bunny laying on the floor together wearing their matching Christmas Eve jammies.

Christmas morning was a blast.  I took almost no pictures that morning unfortunately, probably because I was too absorbed in the splendid unwrapping of presents.  But here is one I did manage to get-

 Mercedes wearing her new ballet wear and drinking from the beloved water bottle my mom sent her for Christmas.  (My mom has the same one and the grand kids live off of it when she is around).

I was SO excited about these three gifts from my sis-in-law Hannah.

  Dracula for Taylor and Persuasion for me by the beautiful Penguin Classics.  Also, A Little Princess for Mercedes by the Puffin Books.  I cannot wait to display these (and read of course) for years to come.  Thank you Hannah!

Sometimes a girl just has to go to the Mall when she's bored at home.

 Even though this picture was blurry I had to post it because it captures her so well in motion.

 Smiling for the camera.

 Making funny faces for the camera.

Sometimes a girl just needs to cuddle up in her mommy and daddy's bed.

 This man LOVES to read.  I'm glad about that.

Tonight the three of us went on a dinner date.

Don't worry, this is not a real frown.  For the picture only.

Here Mercedes is displaying the meal she picked as soon as she got her menu.  I guess she knows her tastes.  She got spoiled tonight.

 Taylor.

 Me.  (This is for you Lacey!)

The sillies.

Well that's it for the pictures.

The beginning of a new year always feels so exciting to me.  I know there can be negativity around making traditional "resolutions" but I've actually always loved setting goals and making plans for the new year.  I get ridiculously excited about brand new calendars and planners and almost giddy about writing in them.  I just LOVE it.

So anyway we have a few more weeks to get a bunch of projects done and then Taylor and I start school.  Taylor will be finishing up his law enforcement classes and I'll be taking two classes online.  Then come the end of May the three of us will pack up and move to Utah.  Then begins the job hunting and the police academy in the fall.  It's going to be a good year.

Have a good day!