Christmas Week 2010

It is going to be hard for us to beat this past Christmas week.  

Our Christmas tree, ready for action.

Through some very fancy finagling, we managed to get all three of my siblings, T's mother and my brother-in-laws parents in town for Christmas.  Our past week has been filled with.....

....fabulous family time, 

Sisters relaxing with two pregnant bellies.

MoMo, Nana and Ya-Ya

T and Nana

....an adults-only night to see A Christmas Carol, 

The eligible bachelor of the family, flanked by his two adoring sisters and their princes.

....a Christmas Eve party in which my parents hosted 30 for dinner,

A full Christmas Eve table--just the way my parents like it!

The Christmas Eve Crew, 2010

....and a Christmas Day celebration with 15.  

Through brunches and lunches....

G-Bear loved her Christmas dress.

E-Bear passes out mints to the table at Sunday Brunch.

....cousin time and present time,

Cousin Sparky, E-Bear and G-Bear in their matching Christmas pj's from MoMo

Cousin Sparky, Aunty K and Uncle T

G-Bear loved her stocking stuffers: Cinderella slippers and a head lamp!

G-Bear presents Papa's tree.

....and a birthday celebration for baby Jesus,

Welcome, baby Jesus!
E-Bear and G-Bear couldn't wait for his doll to arrive in the manger on His birthday.
The procession marched right by us at church, and we were the first ones to welcome Him at the manger after the service.

....Our kids have been treasuring the whole week.  

The past three nights in a row they have gotten to go to sleep at MoMo & Papa's house so that the adults could stay up later to talk...we would wake them up to bring them home several hours later, late into the night.  

We have so much to be thankful for.  To Nana, who came for the week, slept on our leaky basement aerobed and made this week so special, thank you for braving the snow and cold to be with us for Christmas.  To Ya-Ya and GP, you fit right in and made our holiday truly special.  To Uncle T, Aunty K and Cousin Sparky, what a blessing to have a week with you, extended unexpectedly by the Boston snow storm  (they are still stuck with us after their flight home got cancelled today!).  To Uncle C, who spent days putting together a museum-worthy Kinex ball factory to delight the cousins on Christmas morning, thanks for being the fun uncle who always delights and amazes.  

And a Christmas toast to Papa and especially our amazing MoMo, who planned, manically cleaned & prepared, and hosted the amazing week of meals, activities and memories for the whole extended families.  What a hostess, what a welcome, what a holiday she prepared and pulled off.  This week has been one we will never forget.  Send the woman a bottle of champagne for the New Year.

With love,