Our Family Christmas

Decorating the Tree!


Our guys - just hanging out!


On Dec. 15th, we had our Christmas at home. We had a very special day - just the 4 of us. We opened gifts, had a late breakfast with mochas and hot chocolate and then just spent the day relaxing!

As many of you know, Kiran got an Imagination Box this year (something that deserves its own post). We plan on painting the box with Kiran's help, and of course the primary choice of color is - you guessed it - Cookie Monster Blue! So, we'll get to work on that ASAP. Now that Kiran's box has been filled up, he understands what it's all about, and he loves it! Thanks to everyone who helped fill it, and yes, more pictures of the inside contents will come later. He also got a tabletop kitchen. As soon as he saw it, he put his fireman's hat on, started stirring "five alarm chili" and sang, "La, La Living in the Firehouse" from Barney - a song he hadn't sang in months.














Ellery got an aquarium mat and loves it. She also got some new blocks and a baby art gallery which she enjoyed on our long drive to TX!

Jeff and I decided this year that we would get each other surprise gifts. It was so fun to take a risk and try to really think about what each other would want! I know that's what most people probably do and definitely what they do in the movies, but we have a history of just letting the receiver pick their gift or getting a gift together. Well, we were successful - both of us loved our gifts!

Jeff got me a really cool mirror from Ten Thousand Villages for our bathroom! I want to work on interior decorating in our house. Anyway, the mirror is perfect and hopefully will inspire us to finish this bathroom! Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture - we'll just show it off with the completed bathroom soon! I also got a fun new hat from the kids.

I got Jeff a Zassenhaus coffee grinder, and the kids gave him a stovetop espresso maker (a very inexpensive way of making espresso, but cool because it's "old school" and because it makes yummy espresso - at least we think so). We have enjoyed several mochas, and Kiran and Daddy had lots of fun grinding!