Is It Really Over?

Either I rush through the Christmas season or it just simply is too short.  I can't decide which.

I look forward to this time of year with almost as much anticipation as my little people and I promise myself at the beginning of each holiday season that I will sllooww down and fully savor the sounds, sights and the people. 

Instead, I usually find myself at a ToysRUs two days before Christmas getting a "few last minute" things, along with every other maniac in town.  Or I rush to the Harris Teeter the afternoon of Christmas Eve, thinking I surely do not have enough sugar or chicken stock in my pantry.

I did get the whole family to church more this year and I did remember to say Merry Christmas to more people.  But I am sad at the prospect of taking down the tree, removing my candles from the windows and turning off my Christmas music.  Of course come June, I will be saying "Less than 6 months to Christmas!  How can that be?"  On to Valentine's Day.

My kids had a great Christmas-lots of smiles and squeals and super cute pics.  Too bad Mommy had her settings set for something other than a low-lit room Christmas morning but oh well.  Memories, right?  Even darkly lit ones.  I will have to narrate.

Um, stockings?

Going for the stocking grab.

D, enthralled with a Lego game.

Agent P, writing secret messages to parties unknown.

Lord, I hope she got some hair product in her stocking.

Santa's BIG GIFT to the older ones was a Nintendo DS.  The basic one, not the one that allows for skyping and God knows what else.  Apparently GoGo missed that memo though, because I caught her "taxting" her friend Julie several times on her DS.  Love that girl.

D received a Nerf gun that would put Rambo to shame.  It comes with a tripod, for the Love of Pete.  I am waiting for him tell someone to "Say Hello to his Little Freend".

Agent P is just happy playing with the boxes stuff came in and everyone elses' presents but her own. 

Go figure.

And then it SNOWED.  Could this Christmas get any better?  I was able to put Agent P's hot pink boots on and let her romp in the snow for the first time.  She was a bit uncertain but my older 2 had a non-stop snow party for about 36 hours with the neighborhood kids and were flat wore out.  Good times.

Now.  When can I get my flip flops out, again?