Christmas day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp...

Watched the Grinch movie last week, and I have to admit in all my Grinchness I'm a bit of a sucker for the song the Whos sing (which I just found out on Google/You Tube is The Who Song/Welcome Christmas) even tho the Grinch thinks that by stealing all the holiday "stuff" he has stolen Christmas.
We had an especially good Christmas holiday this year. It feels like we've been racing ahead since Thanksgiving. Last week was our time in Modesto at Shannon's while Jason, Kel, Naia and Gabriel were in California. As is typical of me, I took very few pictures, but I'll share the ones I have. I was too lazy to consider what order I was uploading and we will start with Christmas day and work our way back.

Kiera going through her gifts after the unwrapping was done.

Me opening the mysteriously large gift Shannon delivered a couple weeks ago. Sometimes it can be difficult to buy a gift that although you know is perfect, well the expensive kitchen trash can...really? YES!

Real UGG Boots!

A couple years ago Kiera bought some really fun fabrics at Road To California. Most of the blocks were constructed and she had the layout figured out and we stacked the blocks in order last time we put them away. I finished it for her and backed it with a fun cupcake print. She was completely surprised and impressed how sneaky I was.

Christmas Eve after returning from Catron's Kiera opened gifts sent by her mom.

Back at Shannon's earlier in the week. We attempted to get all four grandkids into a photo. Allyson, 3, Gabriel 2, Naia almost 4 and Jenna 6.

Gabriel and Jason playing with the ever popular train set.
Jenna and Kiera finger painting, or was that nose painting?
How that started.
Jenna and Naia having fun constructing the graham cracker (sort of like gingerbread) houses. Every bit as edible as the real thing.
Kiera giving Naia one of her famous hair styles.

This year's edition of my north pole village.
The Ward family comes to dinner a few days before our trip to Modesto.
And that's it, that's what I have to show for myself for Christmas 2010. I can't help but think that it just gets better and better.

The North Pole

My Dept 56 North Pole village, 2010 edition.

Must Have Been The Grinch!

Last Monday night our snowman was abducted by parties unknown. Unplugged and carried away! We live in a very ordinary neighborhood and don't have much in the way of this sort of problem.

I have created a Lost poster to display on the two community bulletin boards. Not that I expect Frosty to be returned, but maybe the little creep(s) who did this will at least see it and, I don't know, give them pause that they have done something despicable in stealing Christmas decorations.
They are absolutely on the Naughty List this year and I wish for them nothing less than lumps of coal in their stockings!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

There is a wonderful year-round Christmas store in San Diego called City Lights.
www.citylightscollectibles.com
We've shopped there in person and that is where we purchased a beautiful length of garland that decorates the mantle each year. I've shopped online with them many times. This year, as I was browsing the website, just out of curiosity I clicked on the link to the Tree Department. In store this time of year they have a large room devoted to (and this is the part I like) Permanent Trees.
Not artificial, not FAKE; Permanent.
Here is this year's edition of my beloved Permanent Tree.

The Permanent Tree stood undecorated for a full week. We were just too busy/tired/busy. It was my mission today to complete the tree for this year's season.

Last weekend Mike got the outside lights hung, the palm trees wrapped (gotta Xmas light the palm trees!) and the snowman set up.
Happy Holidays!

Festive?! Who Says I'm Not Festive?!

A tradition that Mike and I take seriously is the annual breaking out of the Christmas coffee mugs! From now until New Years Day we only use one of our cheery mugs. We tried to call a moratorium on adding to the collection, but last year Kiera and I were in Crate and Barrel and there were these mugs, and they were so cute. The smaller espresso mug is Kiera's for when she just feels like a little hot coco, not alot.

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving Holiday started with the arrival of Shannon, Brandon, Jenna and Allyson on Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning relaxing.

Three year old learning to use sharp sewing pins. And while she didn't stick herself, don't offer to hold anything for her while she pins.

Nana and Jenna doing some sewing.
Thanksgiving day at Catron's. The girls having fun with the Ipad.

Mike and Lou carving turkey. The food was even better than ever this year.
Desserts!
After dessert!
Although we waited patiently for Mike to fall asleep after dinner in order to photograph him in this hat he was oddly awake. In the end he volunteered.

Pumpkin Carving 2010

First you hand the kid a really big knife.
Start by cutting the appropriate sized top.

Once you have the opening it's time to get messy.
Remove the squishy insides and seeds.

Scoop out as much as possibe.

The artistic members of the family contemplate, search the internet for inspiration and draw on their pumpkins before carving. (The non artistic member just carves and hopes for the best)

Intense carving time.


From the left, Gayle's more traditional rendition. Mike's Oogie Boogie. And Kiera's Jack Skellington.