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Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Merry merry


Hope you are enjoying your holiday season! I love this look of joy on my daughter's face... Remember that feeling? I hope so. Beauty.
That present she's opening? It's a hamster cage. We'll be adding a hamster or two to our lovely little zoo.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Christmas Eve


We've had a fairly busy but wonderful Christmas Eve.

My daughter performed what has to be one of the most mature acts she's ever showed- she voluntarily gave up some beloved toys on Christmas Eve to donate to Goodwill.

We all filled the van with things we hoped others could use joyfully, but one particular toy was tough for her to give up. Her Barbie Cruise Ship, still in as good a condition as the day she received it. I was very, very proud of her today. I think this will become an annual Christmas Eve tradition.

After that, we went as a family to play miniature golf, and then played games at the arcade. There, also, my little one tried new things, and had a great time.

I baked the rest of the afternoon for the family Christmas meal tomorrow- and lost all track of time until I realized we needed to get ready to go to services! We went to church to hear a friend of ours sing in the choir, and it was a candlelight Christmas service, my absolute favorite.

I came home to more baking, and now my daughter said she better go to sleep, so Santa will come by our house. She really enjoyed the internet Santa tracker, a pretty cool addition to our culture, yes?

For a Christmas tear-jerker, and a wonderful family tradition, see this story here.


Merry Christmas, everyone!
*Photo of the Hotel Del Coronado Christmas Tree 2005

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Signs of the Holidays

Christmas from 3,000 miles away... BFF Kendall

Christmas Tree 2006



Gingerbread House




Hanukkah Menorah, 8th night of Hanukkah 2006






Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Xbox Widow

In case you've been wondering where I've been, well, let's just say it started with a bout of Strep Throat for my little one over the Thanksgiving holiday. Now that I finally feel I have Chrismakkah under way in my household, I can breathe a sigh of relief, sit back, and enjoy the festivities!

We begin our festivities with a Christmas celebration with the folks. They flew back east for the holidays (to see family), and we celebrated early with them before their flight.

They got my husband an XBox 360.

*sigh*

It's true. It's a bribe, I guess, so he'll stay married to me.

I got him "Gears of War", so he'll have something to play until Santa shows up with the rest of his gifts.

It's made me an XBox Widow.

I always said I never wanted to be a widow to sports. I never thought I'd become a widow to a gamer.

Last night I went out for 3 hours. When I got home, he hadn't even realized how much time had passed. It's like being married to a teenager (not *really*, come on people, he's 41). I can't even play the old version of XBox (too many buttons and thingys on the controller), and this new version has even MORE thingys on the controller. I haven't tried to play yet, I need a game for it that even a 6-year-old could play, and I somehow don't attribute that to "Gears of War".

On my wishlist is the Lego Star Wars game. I think that I might be able to play, and have fun with it.

In the meantime, he can sleep easier now knowing that he'll be able to play Halo 3 in the fall.

And I'll need a new hobby when that gets released.