CHRISTMAS 2014

Christmas this year was seriously low-key after all that.  No one had time, money, or energy to make it anything but.  Gifts were small and simple.  Travel was zero.  We went nowhere.  No one came here.  (Harriet might have had a few epic fits about that.  Sorry Hattie.)

We went to church, and tried to get a few nice pics by the tree:

We did try to scrape together a Christmas Eve.  All of the friends we've celebrated Christmas Eve with in the past have now moved.  We debated about reinventing or doing a family one, or bagging it.  We found out our friends, the Symes, were kind of down-and-out on company as well, with their husband/dad working as a police officer that night, and no one else in town, so they came over and brought all kinds of cheer to our evening.  We made a fancy dinner and had a little Christmas pageant.

This photo is kind of funny since Ingrid is in it without Dain, and David is in it without me (because I took it.)  But, It's a good memory.  Ingrid was the angel in Tinkerbell wings.  If you know her, you know she is a true angel too.

Then, we face-timed with the Mitchells and opened their gifts.  

The kids got into their new Christmas jammies from Grandma and set out treats for Santa.

Still, for some reason, no matter what you've done, or haven't done, or what is or isn't under the tree, Christmas morning is still magic.

These kids are true believers. 

Having Stryder here for his first Christmas was really cool too.  It was our first Christmas without Shadow or Velvet.  I still missed them being with us.  But new puppy and kitty do take the sting out.

Grace opened the top of Stryder's gift bag from her, and he grabbed his new dragon and ran away happy!

Kitty got some sweet new carpet hockey toys.

 Treats in stockings

Even the things that were asked for, somehow found their way into packages.  Harriet's big thing she asked for this year was BIG.  A GIANT FLUFFY UNICORN PILLOW!  

IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GOING TO DIE!

 Grace asked for a list of video games - all found their way to her as well.

 Dad got a U of U bowtie from Grace.  Cool.

 Grace made this adorable chalk board for Harriet:

 Harriet bought a snow globe for Grace at her school store:

And, David found Ghirardelli white hot chocolate mix, just like the stuff we drank in San Fransisco on our anniversary.  It's so good and has such good memories- I went out and bought tall clear glass mugs to drink it in the next day.

 Harriet got Dad a new wallet.  The one she gave him a few years ago was looking shabby.

Grace and her flannel phase... she really needs to live in Seattle in 1993

 And Stryder got a giant water bowl from Santa!  

Finally- something big enough that he won't run out in the middle of the day.

David's parents and Christine came over later for brunch and more gifts.  Our rule on Christmas day is:  Anyone is welcome to come to our house.  We'd love to see you.  We will feed you.  We will play games and watch movies.  But we aren't moving.  And we aren't getting dressed.

And, a Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!

No, really, that's it!

Well, one more.  For Aunt Emmie.