Christmas Eve

Another Christmas has come and gone.  Here we are ten days later and it feels like months ago, well except for all the decorations that have not yet been put away.  I loved our Christmas this year.  I honestly thought I would be missing my family and the traditional things (and I did that too), but we were joined by some friends that made for a festive and wonderful holiday.  We stayed up way too late playing games and talking (in between settling sad babies).  We watched our kids experience the magic of Christmas.  We ate delicious food at home and out.  It made all that preparation that goes into Christmas worth it.  You know what I mean about preparation, my mom said that Christmas is like a part time job from November on and she is totally right.

For Christmas Eve, we went into the city (because you have to do something to make it feel special) and had brunch at Founding Farmers. We ran over to see the National Christmas Tree which is the closest thing Heber and I had to a white Christmas (get it?).  Leo was wishing for snow the whole holiday.  I guess he thought that Christmas equals snow.  We'll try better next year.

I took a short detour to the Renwick Gallery, which I've been dying to visit.  They recently reopened the entire gallery with new exhibits that are incredible.  I really wanted to see the Chihuilli chandelier, you know, the greatest glass artist of our generation.  Whenever I can see one of his works in person it's amazing.

We pressed our luck and went over to visit the Botanical Gardens.  Somehow they were still peaceful even in all the holiday craziness.  We liked the trains but the kids were just about done by that point.  We headed home and cooked a nice meal and threw everybody in bed just in time for the Christmas magic to happen.

Ready to see what Santa brought

This was the first year that Leo was really excited for Santa to come.  It was so fun to see them open up their gifts and to be happy with all the little things.  Amy would open a present, pull it out excitedly and say, "ta da!" Heber surprised me with a new camera lens (!) and a hexagon knob press.  I can see all the beautiful knobs now, I can't wait!

 

It was busy and wild but such a great holiday.