TWAS A GREAT CHRISTMAS

It is now the new year, and I am overdue on my Christmas recap.  Quite honestly, I'm overdue on a lot of recaps, or just posts in general, but this one will have to do.  Christmas this year was both fun and trying at times with a toddler who is into everything.  I don't have many pictures, but you may notice in them that my tree was only decorated where little hands can't reach.  Although there were several tears shed about not being able to touch the pretty ornaments at free will, I still wouldn't change his curiosity for anything.

The little munchkin received the cutest Christmas jams you ever did see. You can barely see it in the picture, but under his elbow is a santa. Mason knows what Santa says, too, and can usually identify him. Listening to him say "ho...ho...ho" with the big pause in between each syllable is super cute (O is his favorite letter, which is may be why this was easy to teach him).
Christmas morning, we opened our presents in the dark.  Mason's big Christmas gift was his train set, which we knew would be a hit since he loves the set at his sitter's.  We set it up after he went to bed the night before, so that it would be right there for him in the morning.  Groggy Mason lasted for about a minute, and when his mind registered what was in front of him, he went right to work.

I have to share this next picture, too, because there is a funny story to go with it (at least to me).  Our laptop battery is dying, and a while before Christmas, Byron had said just to make the new battery his gift. Right.  I had already been stashing away extra money for an entire year because I knew I was going to get him an iPad.  But I didn't let on. However, the first time they tried to deliver it, I wasn't there and hadn't left the proper forms to receive it, so a note was left at our door that they had tried to deliver packages...from Apple.  And of course Byron read it.  So I still didn't let on.  And even when Mason had taken the wrapped present and essentially launched it off his high chair and Byron freaked out because it could be breakable, I still didn't let on.  Freaked out on the inside but maintained an "ain't no thang" composure on the outside. So when Christmas morning arrived, Byron totally thought he was getting a battery for a gift. When he opened this up, he said in a tone like he already knew what it was, "Oh yay, it's a - what?  Is this what it really is?"  Yes.  I totally surprised him.

And those were my highlights.  Yes, we had more family around, more presents to open, and more good times to celebrate, but those two people (and of course Minnie) are my world.  I really enjoy just being with them, and this past week and a half without work has been such a special time.
The last snapshot of our Christmas is the view of the tree that ended all of my recent nights.  I am no photographer, and I can't achieve the beautiful bokeh you will see other places, but this is still special to me.

I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and is looking forward with hope to the new year.  I hope to share some of my own thoughts and resolutions for the new year soon!