Where's my Christmas update, you say?

Well that is a very good question. I've tried two or three (or four) times to write out my memories from December 2009 and there are just so many. And each time I tried to write them all down, and then try to figure how to insert pictures on this darn blog to correspond with a certain memory, it just felt very overwhelming. haha. Keep in mind that to add pictures to my blog posts, I have to do everything in reverse. Huh?? It just felt like too much to wrap the 'ol brain around. So, I got lazy and posted my December pictures on Picasa, left some captions there, and basically called it good. But rather than leave absolutely nothing here in regards to the holidays, I thought I'd at least write about the highlights (minus the pictures).
First and foremost ... do you see the adorable snowman above? Well, that was one of a few handmade gifts that Bailey made especially for me. Imagine my total surprise to unwrap this little beauty. And to think that she made it all by herself, without me knowing anything about it? Crazy, creative girl right there! This just might be my most prized gift ever. It means so much to me. It will be so, so hard to put it away for a whole year. I thought about just keeping it in my office for the rest of my life (haha), but forced myself to say goodbye for the year. Then next Christmas it will be like a fun little surprise for me all over again.

So, for the rest of the highlights:

1. Dad and Pat coming for a nice, long visit. Duh. This is a no brainer, and most of our highlights include them. :)
2. Shawn and I going to his Christmas party. No ... scratch that. We dread going to Christmas parties. We'd much rather just be at home in our comfy clothes. Haha.
3. Visiting Granny in Redding. We also got to see: Aunt Debbie, Uncle Melvin, Aunt Denise, little Michelle, her son Benjamin, little Denise, her two sons, Rachel and her daughter, Meghan. Whew. I think I got everyone!
4. Having dinner at Guadalajara's in Redding with most everyone from #3.
5. Listening to Aunt Debbie play Christmas music on the piano. So pretty.
6. Seeing the Sundial Bridge, also in Redding, twice.
7. Back in Roseville: having dinner at Mikuni. Yum.
8. Playing Skipbo and our new favorite: Scrabble Slam. (In a frenzy of spelling words, Austen insisting that "dark" was not a word. Haha. You had to be there!)
9. Decorating Gingerbread houses. Yes, houses. Shawn and Dad did one (Austen and Kale managed to get out of it) and then Bailey, Nana and I did one. Messy fun.
10. Walking for days, and "hunting" for deer in the freezing cold. Haha. Not really hunting, but wanting to take some pictures. We had zero luck!
11. Sour Cream Enchiladas for Christmas Eve Dinner.
12. New PJ's on Christmas Eve. And leaving milk and cookies for Santa.
13. Lots of coffee, sweetened with french vanilla creamer and sweet and low, of course. (We're still doing it! Kale and Bailey especially love it!)
14. Matching robes for Bailey and I from Dad and Pat.
15. Watching Christmas movies: Polar Express, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, and Santa Clause 2.
16. Beautiful holiday decor at Grandma and Grandpa Butler's house.
17. An amazing Christmas dinner: prime rib, twice baked potatoes, green beans and salad, plus goodies for dessert.
18. And far too many gifts to list!

This was another incredible Christmas for us. We have always been blessed, and this year was no different.