We always celebrate Thanksgiving with John's family on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving day, then usually celebrate with my family on Thanksgiving. This year everyone couldn't get together. It turned out to be quite nice though. John and I had a day off during the week and took the opportunity to decorate the Christmas tree and set up the house. If we didn't have this day, I'm not sure it would have gotten done this year!
Ethan was stellar at putting the ornaments on the tree. He tended to put them all bunched together, but I tried to hold the control freak in me back and let him do what he wanted with his ornaments.
The outside of our house. I like to refer to the lights on the posts as our
Vegas lights, those things are super-duper bright.
Anytime I asked Ethan to smile in front of the tree, he would (He would also hold an ornament up in front of his face so I could never get a cute picture, the punk). So this is the best shot I could get of him.
Tada! Here is the family picture we would have sent out to you if we ever got our act together to send out Christmas cards. Maybe I should make that one of my new years resolutions. Although I'm usually done with those the end of January, so it probably wouldn't happen in December next year anyway, don't hold your breath.
We took Ethan to sit on Santa's lap and it was AMAZING. I had spent most of the day talking about Santa, what we do when we see him, things that we might ask for,
yada yada. So when we went to see Santa, Ethan was pretty well-prepared. All the other kids his age were completely flipping out, not wanting to sit on Santa's lap, not even wanting to look at him. Ethan on the other hand went right up, plopped himself down, and then went into a trance-like state and began reciting all the things he wanted for Christmas, concentrating so hard so he wouldn't forget, "cars, movie, games, trucks, candy..." It was such a treat to watch. I'm glad he has his priorities in place.
It was hard to even get a smile out of him after he finished his list. I think he was reviewing his list in his head to make sure he didn't leave off something.
Jane had a tree set up at her house and she was kind enough to share her pictures of Ethan setting up the tree.
I think she was a little more successful in getting a cute picture.
Our group of friends did a secret
Santa gift exchange where we had to make homemade gifts. My secret
Santa made me a camera strap, cookies, flower corsages (which to be fair I shouldn't call corsages, because that makes them sound lame, when, in fact, they were amazing) and a skinny scarf). I made my secret Santa a
Razzleberry pie and these fantastic bird ornaments (although that sounds pretty weak after the list of things I received, now doesn't it?) Well I'm still obsessed with the birds and made some for myself. I want a whole tree covered in them.
The best part was that I got to make them out of scraps that I already had. And that makes me VERY happy.
John and I went to my work party too, and John got to meet some of the crazies at my work. Yes, you know who you are. We also had a fantastic dinner with John's employees, but I figure you want to limit the number of posed pictures of John and I, no?
Jane and Tim looking as fabulous as ever. They are sampling some homemade soda that James & Brigitte made, it's a whole setup that you can make anything you want. Pretty sweet.
John's checking out the appetizers.
Ethan's checking out the snow globes. I think this is my favorite shot of the whole season.
The present opening/wrapping paper fights begin.
Sadly there was one casualty of war this year, the silver mickey mouse head. Yikes!
John's uncle Jim got this fire truck for E, and he has not stopped playing with it. I think James was even impressed with the accuracy of the model (he's a fire captain - I'm sure there's a better/more accurate title, but I don't know it).
Tim & Sharon
The motley crue - Courtney, Zach, & Cody
Look at our haul!
I might have even done my hair today, aren't you lucky?
I can't wait for your guesses already...Oh, and I apologize for the graphic image. I could have posted the one of the profile or the foot, but it just wasn't as informative.