December in 5 minutes

OK, so I've resorted to month-long blogs.  I would love to be one of those clever bloggers that has something witty or prolific or even halfway interesting to say just from living life each passing day, but let's face it...I'm not that person.  So you get what you get. :)

As usual, our December was jam-packed.  From anniversary parties to work events and travel to Christmas Concerts and a musical, and well shopping and wrapping and baking.

And even now, I'm tired.  The only thing standing between me and hittin' the hay is my promise to myself to update this dang thing and my Rolling Stone recapping 2011.  No, I don't normally read Rolling Stone, but I couldn't find a People or an Entertainment magazine, so this edition looked promising.  So far, so good.

So here you go...

Early December, we threw an overdue 40th anniversary party for my awesome parents.  We were so grateful to have everyone turn out.  It was crappy weather and most guests didn't know how to get to my house without some type of GPS device.

Here is everyone that made it.  Somehow, the flash went off and everyone was smiling and looking toward the camera and their eyes were open!!  Thanks to all who celebrated with us.

The happy couple!  Happy 40th anniversary Mom & Dad!

An awesome picture.  Too bad such a rare moment.

This is Aunt Linda's creation.  She brainstormed with a local bakery and had this awesome cake highlighting key moments along their "road to 40 years".

On the 17th, Mom and I spent the entire day baking.  The entire day!  We always make way more cookies than we need.  And then when it comes time to making up plates for people, we're like "okay who else can we give cookies to?" Ha!  The best part for me is time with my mom (and the chocolate chip cookies that I'll grab from the freezer later in February will be a nice treat too!)

This was our only trip to visit Santa this year.  I would have liked to go visit a real Santa.  This was the' Breakfast with Santa' Santa at Camryn's school.  And he clearly painted his beard.  Blah!  Ah well. It's a decent shot.  Darcy wouldn't go near him without me there.  At her school, Santa came by to visit her classroom and the teachers said she ran away from him but kept saying "ho, ho, ho" the rest of the afternoon.  Never heard her actually say "santa" this year.  It was always "ho, ho, ho" anytime she saw him on TV or a picture.  So cute!

Darcy posing before her Christmas concert.

We were here a total of 10 minutes.  Drop Darcy off, sit down, watch Darcy stare out to the audience, pick Darcy up from her teachers and head home. (Craig was really happy to go. LOL!)

The highlights just keep coming.  We bought Charlotte a ticket to see Beauty & the Beast at the Fox Theatre for Christmas.  It turned into a gift for me and Camryn too. Charlotte came over and spent the night.  Then the "big girls" went to the finest dining establishment within 10 minutes of our house...Red Robin, where the girls dined on corn dogs and mandarin oranges.  (YUCK!)  They got so tired of me taking their picture.  But both of them will do goofy smiles (or not smile at all) at different times, so my odds are better if I just keep snapping away.

Getting ready to see the show!

So excited.  And they're so pretty in their fancy dresses.

A quick intermission.  The girls looked through the windows overlooking the lobby.  Must have seen somethign they liked.

As for Christmas, well, we had a fantastic one.  Can't even tell you how blessed my whole family is to have one another and be able to enjoy each other.  Jeff flew in for several days and got lots of time with the nieces.  They just flock to him, and he soaks it up and lets them climb all over him.

And onto Christmas Morning...

Charlotte Grayce

Charlotte and Darcy passing out the gifts.  This is about all Darcy wanted to do with the gifts until someone would open one for her and she realized there was something to play with inside.

Mom got Charlotte and Camryn these Hello Kitty hats.  LOVE them.  They are so cute on.

Here's one from earlier int he morning.  Darcy was going through her stocking and showing us what she got. :)

Jeff strumming on his new mandolin.

Jon and Craig got these books from a secret person (Dad) called "Go the F&*$ to sleep".  I had read it before but it really is so funny and painfully true.  Jon was crying he was laughing so hard at the book.

Maybe next year she will learn that toys take too much work to get them out of the box.  But the baby Rapunzel was a hit with the grand kids, which was all she needed to know.

For the two people that read this, I hope you enjoyed.  I wish you a blessed and healthy 2012.