I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday yesterday; we certainly did! I love everything about the holidays, except for the never-ending garbage. I’m thrilled that today was trash day for us and most of the evidence of holiday overload is now gone. We usually have only one 30 gallon filled in a week. This week we had all three cans full and several extra bags besides. Oh sweet gluttony!

Our Christmas weekend started on Saturday with a birthday party for Cookie. The poor baby was due on Christmas Day but did make it in a few days early. It’s hard to have a birthday so close to Christmas; I should know. I’m turning 30 in a few days! Yikes!!

On Christmas Eve day we made cookies for Santa, wrapped any remaining gifts, and watched Christmas movies. The girls loved “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” but hated our favorite “A Christmas Story”. We made pizza for dinner and then dressed the girls up in their Christmas Pj's and bundled everyone (dogs included) into the car to look at Christmas lights. Z-Man says we should say we hunted for lights as not many people had braved the weather to put any up this year. We all still belted out Christmas carols at the top of our lungs though.

We immediately put the kids to bed when we got home and spent the time waiting for them to go to sleep cleaning up the house. When they finally gave up and went to sleep, we assembled the Santa gifts, wrapped Santa presents, and filled stockings. We even managed to get to bed at by 11:30; a record for us.

I tossed and turned most of the night because I was so excited to see the girls’ faces on Christmas morning. One of my favorite things about the holidays since having the girls is to lie in bed on Christmas morning and hear their little feet run down the hall to see if Santa had come. It wasn’t meant to be this year though because I finally had to go wake the girls up at 9am because I couldn’t wait anymore.

We unpacked stockings and took turns opening gifts. To help with consumerism and to keep the focus of the holidays on family, not gifts, we have a strict one gift from each person rule. So each girl received three gifts from us; one from me, one from ZM, and one from Santa. Of course the grandparents find this rule too restricting and sent several each. We’ve found that with all the aunts, uncles, and grandparents, the girls still end up with too much stuff! They truly enjoyed most of the gifts though,

Princess received the microscope she has been pining away for from Santa. She also got a CD clock radio from me, and a Groovy Girls pony from her dad. The grandparents sent clothes, books, and dress-ups. Cookie is harder because she just had a birthday and we each got her something for that too. She’s also in the phase where you can’t have too many dolls, but I can’t imagine buying the child another d@mm doll. They have already taken over the playroom and I think they are planning a strike on the living room!

Cookie received a Little Tikes Coup from Santa, a new dress from me, and clothes for the huddled naked masses of dolls she owns. She also received clothes, books, and dress-ups from the GPs. After the present frenzy, we all had a nice breakfast and a leisurely afternoon playing with our new toys.

We were invited to have Christmas dinner with my sister’s family at her in-laws house and we had a wonderful time. The girls enjoyed playing with their cousins and we loved the adult conversation. My brother-in-law got a deer a few days ago so we came home with a venison roast as well as some scrumptious leftovers. Today I’m back at work though not many people are in today. There is a bonus of coming into work on the day after Christmas…I get to meet in Indigo Girls this afternoon. Cool huh!