Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas eve was nice and warm (well, warm for the winter), and I was able to see the progress of my grass. It was a nice relaxing day, and we didn't leave until the afternoon. I ran the neighborhood gifts around right before we left. Ugh...I only bought about half of what I needed. So I pretty much just stuck to me street instead of the whole loop. It was wrapping paper with a tag the said, "Hope you get wrapped up in the joy of Christmas." So it would be weird to buy more and deliver it after Christmas. At least I had an awesome cheesy saying, right?

The drive was really pretty. If you look closely at this picture, you'll see that the sun ray shining through half the cloud lighting up the right side of the sky.

We ate dinner at Bret's parents house, and then headed over to his sister's house. We had to stop at my mom's after that to pick up the presents I wrapped earlier in the week. We got back to my in-laws' later then I planned. This Christmas Eve was much better then last. It seems more like this was Wesley's 1st Christmas because he was so little and sick last year.

Look at that beautiful olive skin my baby has.

Santa's cookies.

Mom's Surgery

I went down Sunday night to stay with my mom before her surgery. The surgery went well which was a big relief. Still the recovery is painful, and my mom is allergic to the tape that held on her bandages. Her neck, chest, and shoulders are covered by a solid, weepy blister. She stayed in the hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Wes did such a good job waiting in the hospital. It's almost like he understands. He helped me buy a balloon for my mom (which he thought he should keep) and a willow statue to help cheer Nonnie up. He was a trooper with all the running around we did, sleeping away from home. Plus, to top it off he cut two molars. What a kid.

Wesley loved hanging out with Uncle Alex.

This is the new way Wes sleeps.

While I was down I most of my mom's gifts wrapped (my sister wrapped the ones for us), and I got my wrapping done. Christmas shopping for my mom turned out to be pretty easy because she already had tons of it done before she found out she was having surgery. She starts shopping in July or August.

Here he is going through my purse. At least he looks super cute.

We came home Wednesday evening. Wesley and I were so excited to see Bret. What a great man.

I just repacked as I unpacked because we are heading down on Christmas eve. Wesley was a big helper while I wasn't looking, and helped unpack the repacked suit case.

I sure hope my mom starts feeling better soon. She is so strong and wonderful.

Match'n Men

My dad and Les came up the weekend before Christmas so they could have Wesley all to themselves for presents. It was so nice to have them come visit, and Wes loved having them here (once he warmed up). Wesley is so funny sometimes he is a total flirt running around smiling at people and other times he is wary of anyone who isn't Mom or Dad. Perhaps it's just the age.

Well look how cute and matching Punka and Wesley turned out to be.

Wesley got the truck for Christmas. It goes perfectly with the dump truck they gave him for his birthday.

Don't Let the Cat Out of the Box and Other Tidbits

So this made me laugh. It's not the coldest it's been this winter, but still. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

Despite what it looks like, no cats were injured in the taking of the photo. She jumped in the box herself, and when Bret put the lid on she was very curious. She was just in there for a moment, and I think that strange cat liked it.

Oh, how Wesley loves his Daddy!

And don't they look Christmasy?

Some Children Cuddle with Stuffed Animals...

But my little guy snuggles with books.

You might say he takes the term curling up with a good book literally.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

This week has been beautiful weather wise.

Who doesn't love a little bird at the top of a Christmas tree?

My little walking partner.

Yesterday the fog was so cool. (And it was a green air day. Bonus!)

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the glowing part under the sun was fog in the southern part of the valley. And in bottom picture there is about a foot of fog off the ground. It was so cool to watch it change and glow in the afternoon sun.

This morning was beautiful.

The sky was a clear crisp blue. The trees were all covered in frost. The sun was illuminating small flakes of snow making it look like glitter floating in all around. With the rainbow on top it was literally magical.

I wish I could have captured how beautiful it really was, the crisp air, the clean smell.

Presents

Here is my FAVORITE gift!

It is amazing how fun simple little games can be when you are playing with with such a cutie.

Here is the first present I wrapped. I love Christmas shopping. I love thinking about, planning, and finding gifts for people. I put effort, but I worry that people won't like their gifts. But I do really enjoy giving gifts.

I don't think that most of my gifts will look like this. I just wanted to try some things I saw on Studio 5 (one of my new favorite shows. And now that I have DVR I can fast forward all the parts I don't care about. Warning: Once you have it, there is no going back from DVR). The bottom gift is wrapped in a crinkled paper bag, the top is wrapped in newspaper, and the ribbon is being reused. I am so green, and I think it turned out pretty cute.

I am doing a some of the shopping and wrapping for my mom this year because she found out on the 10th that she has to have surgery on the 20th (yes, December). She has a herniated disk in her neck, and there is no spinal fluid protecting her spinal cord in that area. So if she falls or injures her neck at all she can be paralyzed from the neck down. The only reason they waited 10 days was for insurance reasons. Well, I want her to rest, and I don't want her out in the winter more then she needs to be. I am so grateful that she let me do it. I was worried she wouldn't. She gave me the list of things she still needs, and I am getting/got the items, and then I will wrap it. I am excited because I love Christmas shopping and wrapping, but with the extra amount of work I don't think all the gifts will be so fancy. I am not a talented crafter so things take me a long time.