maybe just a little late...

I can't believe that the Holidays are actually over. Everything went by so fast this year. I think a lot of it had to do with Thanksgiving being so late...and also probably because we spent two full weeks in Utah over Christmas and New Year's. Anytime we go to Utah, the time just flies, and before we know it...it's time to go home again. We pulled into our driveway late Sunday night, and it's taken me nearly the entire week to get things back to normal again. That's probably the only thing I hate about vacations...they always come to an end, and then you have to deal with the unpacking, and the laundry, and trying to find a home for all the newly accumulated stuff. Not to mention trying to get the kids back on a normal sleeping schedule...which we're still trying to figure out even after being home for 5 days. And then this year, I also had Christmas to take down...which took an entire day in and of itself. Ahhhhh. I guess that explains why I haven't updated my blog in three weeks. I've missed it, but then again, it's been kind of nice not having to worry about anything except being with family, and witnessing the joys and magic of Christmas come to life for my two year old. This has seriously been the funnest Holiday season I can remember in so long, simply because this was the first year that Ruby actually "got" it. To see her amazement over the lights, and the decorations, and wrapped presents under the tree...and then to hear her excitement as she spoke of Santa Claus, and sang songs about him. It was really something else. On Christmas eve, she put some cookies and milk out for Santa before we put her to bed, and then as we were tucking her in, we heard Santa's sleigh bells outside the bedroom window. I'll never forget the way her eyes lit up and filled her entire face when she heard those magical bells. Then how she couldn't stop singing "Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry..." And then how she was trying to force her eyes to close because we told her that Santa wouldn't come until she was fast asleep. I remember seeing her tiny eyelids move up and down with excitement and anticipation, as she tried to command her body into dormancy. And then we heard Santa's voice on the intercom, and that was the culmination of the entire night's events. She could hardly contain her wonder and awe at that point. She then pulled the blanket over her head and didn't make a single movement until Christmas morning. That morning,the first thing she wanted to see as we barged up the staircase, was if Santa had eaten the cookies she left for him. I couldn't believe it as I watched her barrel her way past all the presents to find a plate left by the fireplace...which now only contained mere crumbs. "He ate it!" she exclaimed "Santa ate the cookies and drinked the milk...YAY!" It was one of the cutest things I had ever seen. And then to watch her tear into all of her presents...and into Asher's, too...was just too much fun. It was actually the first Christmas morning since I was a kid, that I actually felt like a kid all over again. I couldn't even sleep the night before, I was so excited...and that for sure hadn't happened since I was young. We had such an enjoyable day, and vacation, and Holiday season. In fact, Ruby is already talking about being good so that Santa will come next year, too. Sounds like a plan to me...but Ruby, do you really think you can be good for an entire year? ha ha...we shall see.

Here's a little video recap of some of the things we did during December...Happy Holidays to all...until next year!