Christmas 2012

I am pretty sure I have said this every year for the past couple of years, but I think this may have been our best Christmas yet. We did not over-do it, the girls had a particularly longer break from school, Corky had an unusually easy schedule and break from work, and we just enjoyed being together, the 5 of us.

Santa Claus brought the older girls each a pair of roller blades while Janie received a scooter/walker/music maker (what it's really called is still up for debate).  Oh yeah, and Buster got a bone.

I think that I am finally learning that sometimes the best, most memory-filled times, are when things are not overly planned out. I had to laugh Christmas morning when I looked at my living room, at our "simple" Christmas, and it was full of torn wrapping paper and shiny new gifts. We each were beyond spoiled by each other and our families. It was one of the many moments I recognized how blessed we are, and not just because of the presets.

Ralph, our Christmas elf, was able to stay and watch us open our gifts. He also wrote a letter to us that said the girls could give him a hug one last time without him losing his magic, but that night he would be going back to the north pole.

We invited a couple of other families in our ward over for dinner that did not travel for Christmas. We had the most delicious smoked turkey, sides, and desserts. We decided to take a timed photo of the adults just before eating, which is usually never super great. I had to include the picture though because it shows Janie digging right into the Maja Blanca (a filipino dessert brought by our friend Roda, on the left!) 

The Tortosa's (left), Whipples (center), and the Hintons (right)