There Was Magic: A Holiday Wrap-Up

It's always a special year when I can celebrate Christmas Eve and Day with all four of my girls.  An unfortunate side-effect of divorce is that you have to share holidays, so CB's dad and I rotate Christmas. This year was my year and probably the final year where the FULL magic of Christmas will be alive with all the girls. Pink is on the cusp of losing the magic. So, this was a super special year!

Christmas is pure bliss with young kids. It was all about magic and family and traditions and love. Just like it should be.  Christmas Eve we had an early dinner, attended Mass, then after renting a movie to pass the time we got down with the usual ...

They finally fell asleep and Santa and his elves got to work. I went to sleep probably as excited as they were for the next morning!

Some people say that Heaven is your happiest place and your fondest memory for all eternity. The thing you love most, your most peaceful and complete moment encapsulated in a bubble for all time.  My heaven would be waking up to my kids on Christmas morning for all eternity.  For me, there is nothing like it, and all the running around and hassle and expense and craziness is all worth it.  To see that joy and hear those giggles - It's music to my ears.

Santa ties a red ribbon at the end of the stairs to keep excited little children who wake up at 5:50 am from peeking downstairs.  Thankfully, Santa also always delivers the filled stockings to each bedroom, and they have permission to open them in the morning which buys Mom and Dad a bit more time in bed.  At 5:50 am I heard the chitter chatter lilting down the hall, peeled open my eyes (that had only been shut since midnight), and saw that it was PITCH BLACK.  My first thought was "My God, they are up at 4:00am!!"  When I glanced at the clock and saw it was almost 6:00, I calmed down... but this was a record for them.  From now on, the new rule in t he house is the sun must be risen for Christmas morning to officially start. Otherwise, it's just obnoxious (no matter how cute it is).

We had to start without CB because girlfriend was NOT keen on getting out of bed that early!

And, they're off!

Santa left a long note this year since the girls were extra EXTRA good this year.  Wouldn't you figure, I started crying when I read it.  Oh that Santa, he gets me right in the heartstrings!

Jingles came back for Christmas Day because the girls beg him to return and watch them open gifts. He had a little note too. He may not have been up to any antics like some of his crazy friends, and CB almost ripped his head off once, but for the month of December? This dude is family.

CB made it down and tolerated some of the commotion, but she is not one for presents and chaos and things out of the regular routine.  We appreciated the time she was there with us. Half of her gifts we opened later on up in her room, the girls assisting her with the wrapping paper, engulfing her in a circle.  I didn't have my camera for that one. Instead, I took pictures for my heart and enjoyed the moment in real time, not through a lens. 

No celebration would be complete without family and now that my in-laws are closer, the travel time to be with our loved ones is so much better.  From 2 hours to 7 minutes. 

CB was having a love fest.  She might not give the impression that she understands Christmas per se, but she understands when everyone is happy, loving, and the day is special.  She kept going up to everyone and surprising them with a giant hug.

The day after Christmas we headed to my Mom's for another celebration. More gifts, food, wine, happiness and memories.  It was a good three days. Now we have a few more to recover.

Somehow, this is the only Christmas photo in which I appear.  Out of probably 300 photos, this is it, and sadly it doesn't have CB in it. By the time we celebrated with my Mom and siblings, she was already in Maryland with her Dad.  Oh well... there's always 2015!

Happy Holidays and all that jazz from our family to yours. Hope yours was magical too!