Christmas Gallery

We spent Christmas Eve and morning at Jackie and Graham's house. Their home is lovely, but even more so when decorated for Christmas. The Christmas Eve spread was scrumptious - our favorites were stuffed mushrooms, rye toast appetizers, buckeyes and the cupcakes. Yum.

In addition to the usual suspects, Jackie, Graham, Julie, Tom/Dad/Grandpa/tpatterson and Audrey, our friends Kim and Kim joined us Christmas Eve.

Whether it's Christmas, or any other holiday, the fun is watching Sydney experience something new. She is inquisitive, curious and expressive even when engaged with the most simple, novel items, such as crinkled wrapping paper.

Here is Sydney solo on Christmas morning.



Sydney with her handlers on Christmas morning.



No peeking!



I am dreaming of a green Christmas ...



This was certainly our most eco-friendly Christmas. The majority of the gifts my family exchanged were 'wrapped' in gift bags. So, not only was the joy in gift giving /receiving from the present itself, but also its container. I am pleased with the selection of gift bags we returned home with. "Note to self, just remove the name tag before I use them ..." We still used wrapping paper and I salvaged some pieces for scratch paper.

One of the coolest presents I received was a tree from Jackie and Graham. And to ensure that this tree lives - I lack the family green thumb - I will not be taking care of it. Jackie and Graham's gift is for a tree to be planted for me in a National Forest. Unfortunately, I am just not sure which forest. But, what a warm and pleasant feeling to know that birds and squirrels are making my tree their home. And, even with the high risk of wildfires, the tree will actually have a chance of survival hundreds of miles away from me :)

To reciprocate, Sydney gave Jackie a pail full of Method house cleaner, which is environmentally friendly. A lame gift for some, but Jackie loves to clean. Plus, it comes in such cool colors, scents and packaging. (You gotta love the people in marketing).

So, after Christmas brunch, (which also is my annual does of sausage, gravy and biscuits) Brian, Sydney and I returned to West Lafayette where Santa visited the night before.

Sydney scouts the present options.









Sydney munches on her new Dora the Explorer soccer ball.



Some of Sydney's other favorite gifts include her walker/wagon, Leap Frog Fridge Farm, Leap Frog Alphabet Pal and a new batch of books, which I am enjoying even more! I highly recommend Janell Cannon's Verdi and Stellaluna, and Steve Martin's (yes, that Steve Martin) The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z!. I personally am reading more than just books with pictures - I finished Anne Tyler's Breathing Lessons and started Carl Hiassan's Nature Girl. Ten more days until class starts, which means 10 more days of pleasure reading.

But, I have digressed from our Christmas reel. The holiday was lovely and Sydney seems to be a fan. Now, she just needs to work on her New Year resolutions.