So let's talk Christmas.

Yes, I realize Christmas is over. But I haven't shared some of my photos yet, so I'm afraid you're going to have to deal with it. LOL! I actually didn't take that many, and the ones I did take weren't that exciting. I just had too much going on that day with everyone coming here to our house to celebrate. It's funny how I can take 100+ photos of my kids on a regular day just running around outside and playing, but then a major holiday rolls around and I take like 15, tops. [sigh]

Anyway, here are a few I could salvage. None of them are great, but you get the idea.

First, we have some of our decorations. Our tree, our front windows, and the view of our front yard (standing at the front of the house... not from the street). (The tree photos were taken during the day while the sun was pouring in our front windows, so this is the best I can do.)

Next, we have the girls on Christmas morning. Yes, Hannah really wore that, and no, I didn't dress her. I'd like to think that was obvious, but I wanted to clarify just in case. She donned a leopard-print shirt, a leopard print jacket from her Cheetah Girls dress-up set (tied tightly at the chest), Grace's soccer shorts (yes, she's STILL wearing those damn things on a regular basis), and patent leather shoes with a little heel. Hell, who am I to tell her what to wear. It was Christmas and she was happy, so it's all good. (And when she grows up and becomes a cutting-edge fashion designer/trend setter, we can all say, "I knew her when...")Grace's shirt was opened that morning and had puppies on it so she really wanted to wear it. Knock yourself out, kid. Throw in a huge bear tooth necklace and the look is complete. Other people do that "formal" thing with their kids on Christmas, but I look at it as a day to do (and wear) whatever the hell you want to. ;) Oh, and that's Maya the Bear behind them. Merry Christmas Maya! LOL!

Alrighty. Moving right along, we have Hannah in her new Dora the Explorer fiesta dress-up dress. Lovely.

Next we have Uncle Kyle's contribution to the girls' Christmas loot. Kyle is my older brother. He thrives on buying the most annoying gifts in the world for the girls. Annoying to me anyway. They are always Grace and Hannah's favorite things ever. [sigh] Since the girls always do like his gifts so much, I don't mind. But it's become a sort of running joke. Anyway, when Hannah opened up this doozy on Christmas Day, my jaw dropped. Yup. We live in a mansion so this is no problem, Kyle. Um, NOT! LOL! But Hannah LOVES it and has spent several days since then in it, with her table and cash register outside on the "patio", selling coffee to all of us while using her new princess cash register. How can you be mad when a kid is that freakin' happy? LOL! (Oh, and Kyle has no children (and probably isn't having any), which means I can never get revenge, dammit.)

And finally, the annual Christmas family photo. Lovely, aren't we? LOL! From left to right, we've got my sister (Kristin), my SIL, my mom, my brother (Kyle, the gift buying bastard), my dad, me, my aunt (mom's sister), Steve, my grandmother (mom's mom), my uncle, and my grandfather (mom's dad). Obviously, that's Grace and Hannah in the front, holding their new American Girl dolls. Yup. That's us. Do we bear an uncanny resemblance to the Beverly Hillbillies or what? ;)

And notice how Steve towers above the rest of us. LOL! We're a short family. I think Grace is going to be tall like Steve's side, but obviously, Hannah got the genes on my side. Rock on.

(That odd thing next to Steve's head is the beehive that's part of Maya the bear's mount. I realize it looks odd, but I didn't feel like Photoshopping it out yet. LOL!)