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Welcome!

Christmas!

this christmas was so much fun.  it was our first christmas morning as a family in our own house.  before now we always traveled either christmas eve or early christmas morning to austin to celebrate with nona and momo and ben....which has always been fun, don't get me wrong.  but it was so nice to just stay.  no packing, no car rides; more relaxing and enjoying (for me at least).

the holiday started christmas eve day at coco and papi's house with uncle brad, aunt michele, katy, cameron and william opening present after present after present...they spoil us so.  presents from coco and papi included matching rapunzel nightgowns for you girls, trains and baby dolls for jane, my little ponies and a cash register for stella and a vitamix (!!!) for me and dad.  we spent most of the day there (without a nap) so you ladies crashed hard in the car on the way home.  i was a little sad because we weren't able to put out cookies for santa together, so dad i left out cookies and milk and a little reindeer food out front for rudolph.  we will have to remember to head home a little earlier next year.

santa came, just as he promised.  he brought you ladies:

For both: a dollhouse with all the fixings, The Adventures of Stella + Jane book and so many princess dresses
For Jane: baby bottles, a laughing elmo doll, a twilight ladybug and the corduroy bear book
For Stella: a seal glow pet, a fox puppet, high heels, the velveteen rabbit book

santa also surprised us by decorating the the whole room in lights and leaving his hat on the top of our tree!

i think you girls really enjoyed everything, but we will have to tell santa next year to wrap all his presents because stella really wanted to open gifts rather than have them displayed.  i might take a note from my friend callie and ask santa to use tissue paper (for easier opening) and wrap all gifts for stella in one color and jane in another.

we relaxed, made puffed pancakes, drank coffee, listened to christmas music and played with our gifts for a few hours until nona and everyone came HERE!  i'm not exaggerating when i say that nona brought more gifts for you ladies than santa did. stella got a whole set of eight princess barbies (which was a huge hit), a full book of 'Stella' stories (i love these so much) and Jane got those little tyke princess figurines that ride on horses and clip-clop down the slides.  i just love the sound of that clip clopping.  She also gave Jane the 'Don't Let the Pigeon Ride the Bus' book (such a good book).  Momo brought Stella a Merida dress (from Brave) which was perfect and Jane a cute little dress.  Both were put on immediately.  Ben brought us a really cool sketch book that we have used almost every morning since christmas.

for christmas dinner, nona and uncle ben made homemade pasta, complete with nona's famous spaghetti and meatballs. homemade pasta is amazing, it was such a treat.  and i added to the meal some roasted brussel sprouts with mama tangs sweet asian sauce and a salad.  and since baby May hadn't arrive yet, claire, wade, mary, maggie and tom joined us for dinner.

we then ended the evening with an inappropriate game of cards against humanity.

i just loved christmas this year, i am sad that its over.  365 days until next year!



















Christmas Morning!

Christmas Eve