Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas this year.  We got to spend lots of time together as a family and relax.

We had fun cooking our 'big meals' together and I have particularly been enjoying not cooking all week and eating said leftovers :)

 We had Prime Rib Christmas Eve, and a Turkey on Christmas day. YUM!

After dinner on Christmas Eve we went on a drive to look at lights.  There is a little town inside SA that has a lot of Christmas lights.  This year was their 53rd annual contest.  As you drive by the firestation, firefighters hand out maps indicating the category winners, runners up and honorable mentions.  It was pretty good, some of course over the top: My favorite category was "best mailbox" (I can't make this stuff up) I'll tell you what, they deserved to win.

 Christmas Day we slept in as long as Rylee let us.  She woke up fairly upset because she wanted to watch a 'show'  . . . . . little did she know we had other plans.  After she finally calmed down and we let her run to the living room it was straight to the presents!

She dug into her stocking a bit while Michael cooked breakfast and then we headed off to church.  She fell asleep on the way home so nap time it was.

 Michael and I decided to see what Santa left in our stockings.  I had one gift: a puzzle.  We spent the rest of nap time putting the 550 piece puzzle together {the major frustration of the day was finally figuring out one piece was a duplicate- grr}, flipping it over to find the first clue that sent me on a treasure hunt for my gifts.  Rylee woke up just in time to help me unwrap.

 Rylee loved opening the presents.  And by presents, I mean all of them.  I opened one and she got quite upset.  This may be a problem two Christmases from now when the baby is her age - ah well.

She finally made it to the 'big kahoona' of the day: Her Play Kitchen!!

 We took a present break to have dinner then got back in our {new} PJ's and finished up.  It was about 7:30 by the time we were done. I loved every second.

At my {last!} Dr appointment this week the nurse asked how our Christmas was and if I was happy it was over.  I said it was great and no! I'm always a little sad when its over - she was surprised and maybe I really am the only one who feels this way, but I wish it could last longer.