Our Christmas week

I didn't mean to take a whole week long blogging break...but if you're like me, things can get a little busy at this time! I hope each of you had a very blessed Christmas!
We truly did.

But let me go back to Sunday afternoon, when the four of us attended the Oregon Ballet for The Nutcracker!
My husband and I went to the very same Nutcracker production fourteen years ago (wow...was it really that long?) when we were first dating.
What a joy to be able to take our daughters this year for the first time and see their faces light up as sugar plum fairies danced to the familiar music they already knew and loved.

Before it began, they walked to the front with their daddy to gaze down at the orchestra pit. (Little did my eight year old know that she would actually receive a gently used violin for Christmas!)

The four of us absolutely loved our night on the town.
When I laid my head on the pillow that night, I could almost still hear the music as I drifted off to sleep...just two nights before Christmas...

Christmas Eve we attended an early candlelight service at our church, and then home for carols at the piano and our Advent devotions.
We watched just a bit of the Christmas movies on TV and dined on our traditional Christmas Eve lasagna. (And no, we're not Italian...)
After the kids were in bed, their daddy and I also fell asleep... but woke just in time to sneak around with packages and things just before midnight.

And bright and early, Christmas morning, it was stocking time.
Digging in, exclaiming in excitement though you're still half asleep, and- spreading- the- little- tiny- toys -all -over- the -floor- time.
Because that's what you just do.

In our family, we do the stockings first thing...then eat breakfast and Mommy and Daddy each take a turn in the shower... oh, and Mommy has coffee. Strong coffee.

The girls survive this delay because they have all those stocking trinkets to keep them busy. And after our quick showers and breakfast, it's present time at last!

We've always enjoyed seeing the excitement on their faces at Christmas, but this year the new thing was to scream with excitement.
I think our oldest started this first, but soon they both would literally scream when they'd open an exciting present. It was pretty funny... I was soon tossing them a gift and quickly throwing my hands over my ears...;)

Can I just insert here that I was completely surprised to see that Santa knew to bring them High School Musical toothbrushes. Toothbrushes that literally sing when you brush. I didn't even know they made these.
As long as you keep those toothbrushes moving, Troy and Gabriella will sing to keep that plaque away.
I don't know whether to be a little frightened... or to ask for one for my birthday!

In all seriousness, it was a wonderful Christmas morning. And my 80 year old mom was actually still able to drive the hour to our house, arriving before noon to exchange more gifts with us.
She's been here for three nights and leaves today, and it's been a true blessing to have her here!
And to make things even more special, it honestly started snowing! Huge, beautiful flakes started falling right on Christmas Day!
Christmas snow around here is very rare, so it was very exciting to say the least!
(The picture didn't turn out well, but hopefully you can see a bit of the snow falling...)

Christmas afternoon, it was on to my husband's brother and his family's home to open more gifts with those eleven siblings and offspring!
So much fun... but it's no wonder everyone's still recovering a bit from all the festivities!
And now that I'm coming off this little unplanned break, I'll be visiting all of you to find out about your Christmas celebrations.

And resting...

And eating the chocolate I got for Christmas...

And thinking about exercising.

Blessings!