A Christmas in Review

My mother-in-law's Christmas decor leaves me inspired every year!

We have returned to good old Arizona after a wonderful visit in the winter wonderland of Utah. Christmas and all of its accompanying events and activities kept us delightfully busy with still offering some rest and relaxation. Magical holiday, that.
Christmas to us is about being with family, and this year, that was what we did best. SO much family!

My monkeys with the favorites: Uncle Jared and Baby Bradley. (I hope he outgrows the Baby title, or he may dislike family get-togethers in a few years)

 Aunt Natalie gained new found favorite status this visit, and I hope she liked it. (I can't quite tell from this face...)

 May-May (the eternal favorite) and again with the Bradley face. (I could just eat him up!)

 More favorites came. Uncle Tyler and Aunt Amanda.

The Doctor's extended family got together for dinner and catching up. I was in charge of the photo. Thankfully it turned out OK. (Whew!) 

Grandpa took my big monkeys sledding. They lasted for hours, and loved every minute of it.

My Arizona kids have been winter deprived for so long that every clump of snow or ice (if only one inch in size) was fascinating and magnetically compelling. More photos and Christmas to come!

It's beginning to look like Christmas

 

We're thinking Christmas thoughts at our house. Music is blaring and lights are shining.

 

 

 

And minty Grinch cookies are being gobbled...

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas Shopping?

We usually spend too much time at that Target place.

It's a fact.

 

But this time of year it gets complicated. How do you shop for kids, WITH kids?

I'm learning the virtue of online shopping, but I do so with trepidation. Am I the only person who is a hold out? Does no one else see the value of man-handling the merchandise? How can a girl know if she loves it if she can't feel it up? (dangerously scandalous!)

What can you tell me? Do I leap over my fear-ish gap into the unknown or do I stubbornly cling to convention for convention's sake? And whichever I do, HOW do I get it done before Christmas?!

*Also, what am I going to do when my monkeys and I travel to Utah for Christmas and experience temperatures below 70?? My blood is officially Arizona thin and I'm afraid! I think I need to buy myself some socks and dig out my actual shoes....hm... wish us luck!