Our Christmas 2011

The Thursday before Christmas, Ryan & I loaded up our car (and child) at a record early time despite my "bad pregnancy morning." The normally-5-hour trip to Grandma's stretched to 8+ due to weather, a very-slow-eating two year old, and bad traffic.  Poor Ryan.  We passed the time with Fablehaven on Audiobook, naps for Mommy & baby, Christmas music and some library DVDs for Eowyn, and finally made it to Grandma's in time for dinner.

At Grandma's, Eowyn enjoyed all the music-making Christmas ornaments & toys, dancing & singing to her heart's delight (Jingle Bells is her favorite), the toys Grandma & Grandpa still have-- especially the train set that her daddy & uncles enjoyed-- not to mention all the attention & affection of her aunts, uncles, cousins (first-once-removed, to be precise), grandparents & great-grandparents.  She is so well-loved.  Christmas Eve we went to the service at Grandma & Grandpa's church, then drove through the local Christmas lights show at the Bristol Motor Speedway (very cool).  That night Eowyn opened her customary books & home-made PJs (from upcycled fabric; this year from my old flannel pants...yes I will eventually run out of old jammies, I know).  She LOVED her "p'itty p'itty jamas" as well as her new books The Tower of London, Paris, & If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.  We adults did our "White Elephant" gift exchange-- Ryan got his prize RC helicopter, I got an amazingly-scented candle & some chocolate.  We also opened one gift, this year from Ryan's parents ("Poppy & Grams" to Eowyn).

Sunday morning, we opened our gifts & stockings before heading off to church.  Eowyn's wardrobe received a massive increase in cuteness, let me tell you.  Seriously, I'm almost jealous. ;)  She and I also received digital cameras... mine's an SLR & hers has thumbnail-size resolutions, but hey, in her words "We match!!"  I still haven't worked out how to um, work, mine fully... but I LOVE it and am enjoying playing immensely! (Thank you, Babe. =D)  The "worst" part of the morning was having to be opening gifts by 8 am (pregnant me does not do mornings so well), but hey, I will not complain about getting amazing gifts with the people I love! :)  The Lord was gracious & gave me a reprieve from sickness after we opened gifts, for the whole day!  [please excuse the paltry photos here- we have more on my new camera as well as my cousin Kasey's, but they will be forthcoming]

Note how her necklace is currently a crown. 
A moment before it was dangling on the bridge of her nose as her "glasses."

Modeling her new nightgown on Christmas Eve

Singing carols on the way to church Christmas Morning  (LOVE her Christmas outfit)

Christmas dinner was plentiful & delicious, as were the games of various sorts we all played over the next few days-- Ticket to Ride, Agricola, Carcasonne, and Scene It: Harry Potter.  Have I mentioned Grandpa's fudge (as my dad later put it:  "I think that might have been the best fudge I ever had.  I need another piece to decide.")?  Or the mountains, and I mean MOUNTAINS of cookies & baked goods amassed on ever flat surface?  I think Greg & Kendi brought 200 cookies with them, not kidding.

Tuesday afternoon we drove down to Greenville, SC, to celebrate a second Christmas with that "side" of the family.  This kid is going to think she gets presents for a solid month every December, lol.  I'll put up more on the Greenville leg of our trip- all the Ruiz clan get-togethers, the times with the sisters, etc- tomorrow or sometime after my mid-night snack. :)  In the meantime here's one of my favorite shots of my daughter perched on my mom's counter, watching the morning, snacking on cereal, and waiting for Nina & GB to wake up.  It reminds me so much of my own childhood in this very same house.