Full and Fun Holiday

I found myself up, long past anyone else on Saturday, but inspiration had hit, so I wrote and wrote and wrote. Pouring out my next post for connected mom... one of my longest, and I think one I'm most proud of. Even after I got into bed, I couldn't turn it off. Instead grabbing the pen and paper I keep on my bedside table to scribble out page after page of barely legible notes on another very big post I'm working on for a very big blog event on breastfeeding (February - March, on another blog... I'll link.). I dropped my pen sometime after midnight, 2+ hours past my normal bedtime. I guess when it hits, it hits, and you just have to go for it.

We had an amazingly full and fun holiday weekend. Occasionally frustrating, as I think Gwen was missing her friends (and her daycare routine) by the end of the 5 days, but overall, really wonderful. Watching her face on Christmas morning made every frustration disappear.

Some pictures:

One I forgot to share from the Holiday party last Monday.

Saturday we had lunch out, then headed to visit with one of Willy's "boys." Larry Joel has been coming to Christmas at Pappy's house for as long as Travis has been alive, so he's definitely feeling Willy's absence. We decided to pay him a visit. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication and when we got there on Saturday there was no one at the house. Oops! Gwen made the best of the waiting time though!

We called Sunday morning, and headed back there that afternoon with more success. 

 
On the ride home, Gwen decided sunglasses weren't enough...

Monday we watched some Christmas movies, had an early dinner (ham and mac & cheese, just like we would have had at Willy's), then headed over to a nearby park that puts up lots of lights. It had started snowing around dinner time, so our trip was unexpectedly Winter Wonderland-ish! 

(Not pictured, Daisy... who was trying to like the cameraman!)

When we got home we put out milk and cookies for Santa, and some carrots for the reindeer.

Then it was off to bed!
Well, off to bed for Gwen... Trav and I made room for Santa to arrive. 

Trav's project complete... a Learning Tower.

I finally got all of our cards hung... 

And Santa ate the cookies...  :-) 

Christmas morning we got our first present in the form of a 8 o'clock wake time! I'll take it!!
Then the fun really began: 

It was a really wonderful morning. She was so excited about all of it. Everything from Santa filling the stockings and eating the cookies, to the presents under the tree, to the cinnamon rolls we ate for breakfast and the fact that we were visiting Nonnie and Papa.

The fun continued at my parent's place. So much food, and Gwen's favorite gift of all... a gorgeous, vintage looking tricycle! She's a pro. Puts on her helmet and off she goes. We stayed through dinner, then got her all ready for bed before heading home. She talked our ears of very excitedly for about half the trip, then passed out completely. I was able to pull off another carseat to bed transfer, so I was a happy Mama.

Daisy got a beef bone she's very excited about, Trav got a mini-Kuerig and some new shoes, and I will be running out tomorrow to get my new iPhone 5! I also got a ton of books and a great new bag that Trav's Uncle made (he's very talented). Probably my favorite gift though... Trav had Gwen make me earrings! He had her decorate round paper tags (this kind), then attached them to earring hooks. I love them!

Today Trav and Gwen were back to work, but I took the day off. It is so wonderful to have an ultimate lazy day. I got up to help the two of them get ready and off, but then I jumped back in bed. A relaxing shower, a late brunch, and now I'm here. I will get some laundry and straightening done this afternoon, but otherwise I'm looking forward to a lot of quiet nothing!!

I hope that your holidays were just as Merry as ours!