A Very Happy Holiday {smile because it happened}

It was a good holiday.  I didn't take a lot of pictures this Christmas since I was often busy holding a kid; helping a kid unwrap a gift; holding a wine glass; or bent over laughing with (or at) my family.  We had a very merry Christmas and a very loud New Year's eve.

Snuggling on Christmas Eve; trying to draw out bedtime for as long as possible

  Hours of intense (and quiet!) playing with new toys and legos...

Lots of days just hanging out in PJs til well past 10 in the morning...

We spent many, many hours with family.  They got to play with their cousins day after day.  No school; just play.  The mild, warm temperatures made it possible to get outside more.

Here it looks like he could be my little assistant: posing babies.  Really he is just giving his baby cousin a cuddle and softly petting her head.  Their older cousin with her holiday sparkles on.  And a typical room throughout Christmas day, filled with 10-20 people just enjoying the togetherness.

We tried really hard this year to teach our boys the real meaning of Christmas and that it's not just about the toys and presents.  In the end their favorite part of the holiday season was getting to see all the family, and that's a pretty good start.

Now we're back to school; back to work; back to routines; a whole new year ahead of us.

Happy New Year to everyone.  I hope 2012 is filled with great things to come.