Wednesday, December 30, 2009

..after Santa has gone....

Christmas 2009 has come and gone.
We are all still here, that's a good sign. Looking back, December is always such a crazy time around here, however this year I found it a more manageable (no that's not lack of sleep talking).
I thought I would be lost with a newborn, but instead I took things down a notch.
I didn't do as much baking.
I went with the easier photo Christmas card instead of handwriting each one.
I even slowed down on the big elaborate gifts. (less wrapping too).
And heaven forbid, I didn't get the kids all new matching Christmas outfits.

...and you know what? Christmas didn't suck. It was just as fun and even a little less chaotic than usual.
Strive for less? Maybe that'll be my new mantra.

Of course we had the usual Christmas school concerts-






and I got to go to a fun Christmas shindig with some friends in our tackiest Christmas sweaters. (no formal stuffy stuff here)


On Christmas Eve we left Santa his cookies (I hear chocolate chips are his favorite).
We even spread some food on the front lawn for the reindeer (you know, for extra Santa points).


We also managed to make our gingerbread house for 2009. (obviously Tom had to have a say in the engineering and decorating of this house).



Christmas morning was fun.
The girls were quick to realize that Christopher Pop-In-Kins must have given Santa a good report, as there was indeed no coal in anyone's stocking.
In fact, Bryn finally got the Nintendo DS she has been asking us for daily since about June. (and Santa gets all the credit on that one too).
Ava happily played with her Zhu Zhu pets. (which I was lucky enough to get before the insane ebay hoarders got them and sold them for meeeeellions). And lerved her brother (again).
Tom happily ate his beloved Honeybaked Ham and growled at anyone who tried to take more than one portion of their own. (next year I may just buy him his own separate ham and call that his gift).



Tom taught the girls how to use their new stomp rockets and how to play with dry ice. (remind me not to get any gifts that require dry ice for packing next year). Although I did sadistically enjoy watching Ava freak out at the dry ice smoke...for some strange reason she was terrified of it. Bryn of course, found it a great accessory to spread her Christmas cheer.



I enjoyed the simpler things this year- like my new sweet boy, sitting by the tree on a quiet night after the kids are in bed and some extra long, hot showers (which are now even more wonderful as time to myself is almost gone unless I am sleeping or I have locked myself in the bathroom).
Yes, another successful holiday at the Bennett household.



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