I want to be truthful with you, my friends. I only took one photo all day on Christmas. Ha! And that photo wasn't even of a person.
I took my annual photo of Hannah posing bitterly in front of the Christmas tree wearing her bow tie (I guess I have an image of a collage someday when you can see her muzzle getting progressively greyer, but in reality, this photo looks almost the same as it does from two years ago, right down to the EXACT SAME TIE TILT, but who knows if this will ever come to fruition) on Christmas Eve. When we got to my FIL's house, there was a dog statue with a bow on it and I immediately took a photo and then put my phone away and that was it!
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| Who wore it better? |
Christmas was excellent. We had a leisurely morning of opening presents, then we packed up and drove to Iowa, hung out with the family, and then we headed home.
If anyone wants to know, I got a travel yoga mat for my office, some new CYDWOK boots, and a new 5-year journal (in purple). If anyone wants to know, I bought my husband a golf club (a 3 wood), some socks, and a business card holder.
The kids opened gifts, the adults ate a lot of food, and, in general, it was a pretty fabulous day. And now, on to the best week of the year!
I guess some people are sad when Christmas is over, but I have another three day weekend next week! I love this interstitial time between Christmas and New Year's. Thumbs up!
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Did you take more than one photo on Christmas Day? What's your favorite one?
Dear Hannah is *so* over you and the tie. Bless her patient heart.
ReplyDeleteEven though we had grandson Theo with us, I took ZERO pictures on Christmas Day. I took a few on Christmas Eve, but I detest interrupting things by taking photos. (I absolutely think I should be getting a photo a day from his parents, however; the Irony of it all is not lost on me.)
Your Christmas sounds like it was busy but satisfying. I like this in-between time, too. It feels as if it's a sort of Wind-Down Time that's built into the calendar for everyone.
Hannah is over photos in general. It's only okay if she gets treats.
DeleteI know I should have taken more photos, but I wanted to be in the moment, so I put my phone away. Maybe someday I regret the dearth of 2023 Christmas photos, but there you have it!
I can't believe you didn't take ALL THE PHOTOS OF THE BABY!
Wait. I knew you didn't hate this week, but you LOVE this week? It's your favourite week of the year. What the what, Engie?! I just can't even.
ReplyDeleteI suspect Jenny will also have some thoughts about this.
I did take more than one picture. Hmmm. My favourite one - maybe the tree first thing in the morning before the chaos of Christmas morning. Everything was calm and I just love the final anticipatory moments before we start gifts.
Love that purple journal!!!
Obviously Hannah wore it better! No contest.
Ha ha! My favorite time of the year is actually late-May. My husband is done teaching and he's the most relaxed he's going to be all year long. It's also his birthday and our anniversary and that's really my favorite week or two of the year. I also really love this time of year, too, though. The tree is still up, but all the hard stuff is done and now I can just sit around enjoying the pretty things and the presents I received. Plus, there's another holiday right around the corner. What's not to love?! I know Jenny's in the doldrums, but I don't get it!
DeleteOf course Hannah wears it better! That rakish tilt is everything! Will Hannah get a fancy HAT for festivities some time?
ReplyDeleteI did take about ten pictures on Christmas; I'm the official record keeper. No posed pictures, but just pictures of the general mayhem (Big A juggling, the kids hamming). I think I'll always remember some things, but sometimes old photos do a better job of bringing that moment back.
Hannah is very anti-hat. LOL. I think I would be, too, if I had ears like hers.
DeleteI feel kind of bad that I didn't take more photos, but, oh well. I have the memories regardless.
I love Christmas, but I am not unhappy when it is over. It does run its course.
ReplyDeleteI think it runs its course too fast because people start too early. We have only had our tree up for a couple weeks and it will probably stay up for another couple more!
DeleteHannah is my husband's spirit animal when it comes to taking pictures. She looks as pleased as Phil would look if I had him take a pic by the tree.
ReplyDeleteI took a lot of pictures on Christmas Day. But we are in that season of life and I love having photos to look back on. The kids had a great holiday. Taco is obsessed with the suitcase he got. We will probably have to hide it in our closet soon - otherwise he'll keep playing with it and roll it into walls and such... But his enthusiasm was very cute!
I don't get sad after Christmas. It's a fun holiday but it's kind of loud and chaotic and messy with all the wrapping paper and such. So I'm kind of ready to get back to normal afterwards!
Your kids are such a great age for Christmas - they really understand it! I think that's such a fun age. Most of my nieces and nephews are post-Santa and are too cool to think Christmas is exciting anymore. I bet your family had a really fun time
DeleteLove the boots! Pictures... I took some, of kids opening gifts. My favorite? L with her eyes smeared in eye shadow from her gift- a kids make up kit. Also, I am off this week and it is one of the best weeks of the year! It has an interesting vibe to it. It's quiet and reflective. I've been talking walks, eating, watching movies, and reading. Well, and taking care of small humans, too, of course.
ReplyDeleteOh, man! There was a lot of kid make-up, hair chalk, and nail painting on Christmas Day with my nieces! I am not an aunt who says no to that!
DeleteYay for taking this week off! Go you!
Ha ha, I love the photo of Hannah posing "bitterly." I took a few more pictures than you did on Christmas Day, many of them involving cats.
ReplyDeleteI mean... this week has some hard moments for me but I can see why you like it. It does have a lazy, holiday-ish feel. And I'm looking forward to having another extra day off (New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.) It's also a weird week for me because my daughter is gone on the band trip! The house has an eerily silent... peaceful... vibe. Ha ha.
I bet Muffin and Charlotte appreciate getting their photos taken more than either of my girls. They are OVER ME and my camera.
DeleteAre you getting a taste of what it will be like when your daughter goes to college or is your son still home?
We've got you beat in the picture department as we took zero. Well, The Husband took a photo of the newlyweds in their Christmas pjs. But that was with their phone, so our phones are devoid of Christmas pictures.
ReplyDeleteI actually really like this week; because even work (yes, I'm on vacation - but I peek in) is dead - and I can get a lot done or do absolutely nothing; which is what I've done so far this week.
I do have to work today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday), but when I came into work this morning, there was exactly one email I needed to respond to. I don't feel too bad about responding to some blog comments when it's so slow here.
DeleteHannah's tie is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, once Christmas is over that just means another holiday for New Year's!!! Back to back 4 day weekends? Don't mind if I do!
Right? Not to brag or anything, but we also get MLK's birthday off in January! (I regret to tell you that our next paid holiday off isn't until Memorial Day, but this span between Thanksgiving and MLK Day is amazing.)
DeleteLOVE the dogs. Fantastic Christmas— that sounds like an ideal day.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely day. If only everyone lived closer and we didn't have to be in the car so much!
DeleteI am so glad you had a great day! I took very few photos too. I was happy to just sit there and enjoy everything.
ReplyDeleteI also got a five-year journal! I am excited to start using it on Monday!
This is my THIRD five-year journal. I think I'm going to try to put a happy moment from the day or something new I learned that day in there. It will be nice to have a fresh journal to work with!
DeleteI'm on my second of those exact same five year journals - I love it so much. Two years ago I panic bought three at once because I was afraid Levenger was going to stop making them. But I see they are on sale now - so I should stock up, right? I don't have it in purple yet! Or that green! I mean it's kind of morbid, but I probably only need like six or seven more to get through the rest of life, right?
ReplyDeleteInterstitial is a wonderful word.
Whenever I buy one of those five year journals, I do think to myself that it's awfully ballsy of me to assume that I'll need all five years. LOL. Maybe morbid? Maybe just accurate?
DeleteI have now completed two five year journals and am considering a "on this day" occasional feature on my blog where I type out what I wrote on that day. LOL. Lots of "and I went to work," I bet.
Of course Hannah wore it better!! I'm so glad you had a lovely Christmas and the long weekend to boot. I don't think I took ONE pic on Christmas. I'll have to double check, but I think my phone was having a vacation day. :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice when you just put the phone away and enjoy the moment?
DeleteWhat a lovely Christmas, although what a long day in the car. I'm so glad you were able to spend time with - and engaged with - family. The picture of Hannah will have to be enough to sustain us. Although, inquiring minds want to know - was there Jell-o salad? ;)
ReplyDeleteThere was no Jello salad! Just some of that weird strawberry fluff.
DeleteOMG, you have to look at this link:
Deletehttps://www.southernliving.com/old-school-recipes-comeback-2024-8420957
It has a) pineapple fluff, b) strawberry pretzel salad, and c) (please don't gag) pear "salad", which involves the questionable combination of mayonnaise and... a maraschino cherry.
Pardon me while I gag, quietly.
(The link was on my Google News page this morning...)
I am 100% sending that link to my SIL who makes the strawberry pretzel salad.
DeleteI take your pear "salad" and raise you the pineapple casserole that includes canned pineapple chunks, Cheddar cheese, and crispy Ritz crackers. Gross. Or maybe delicious?
Um. Everything's better with Ritz?
Delete(Seriously, though, who comes UP with this stuff? Why - WHY - would you put pineapple, cheddar cheese, and crackers together?? [I also wish I still had some of the old cookbooks I used to collect with questionable foods from the mid-20th century. The pictures alone...)
What a lovely Christmas! Hannah's look in front of the Christmas tree made me laugh. Tehehe.
ReplyDeleteI loooove the week between Christmas and New Year's. There is just something so wonderfully lazy and contemplative about it. It brings me a lot of joy!
Yes! The week between the holidays is glorious. I'm glad you are able to enjoy it as well!
DeleteI love Hannah in front of the tree. It's the head tilt for me :)
ReplyDeleteA travel yoga mat. Now that's an idea. (I need a new one.)
The travel mat is foldable. It's pretty thin, though, so not awesome for daily use. I really use it for emergencies at work!
Delete