Festivities

Christmas festivities began this year with the arrival of my parents. They spent a few days here, flying home Christmas Eve morning. I think it's a pretty safe bet that they enjoyed their grandkids more than a little bit (said grandkids enjoyed them too!) and Blake and I appreciated being able to go out on a much appreciated date (I almost had forgotten how fun dating Blake is!). Blake and my dad went snowshoeing one day, and we all braved the cold one night to take Rory to see the Christmas lights at the Little America hotel (hooray for free fun!). Every time we're with my parents I beg my mom to make meatloaf. While I understand that the concept of meatloaf is pretty gross, my mom's is soooo good. I sauteed some delicious parsnips and carrots to accompany it, and the whole thing was pretty stellar. I was also able to con some curried chicken out of her, and fabulous steak tacos. Funny that I can always think of things for her to cook but struggle to come up with my own menu plans...We had a Christmas morning celebration with my parents a couple days before they left, which was quite jolly.

What a sweet sleepy boy

Me and Rory at Bash's dedication...pictures of Sir Bash coming later

Rory and my dad playing peekaboo

Serious little baby gazing at his gramma

Aurora was hamming it up at dinner

Sebastian in his adorable lumberjack outfit

Grampa and Bash during our "Christmas morning"

Princess Aurora?

Maybe gifts will be her love language too!

Gramma and Rory reading the llama book

Cozy fleecey baby

Rory's friend Trinity loaned her a fun music toy thing!

 
Christmas Eve Blake's parents and sister went to church with us, and we spent the night at their house afterwords. Blake had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas mornings, which put a bit of a damper on things. We still managed to enjoy the traditional cinnamon rolls (I have a great recipe!), and the kids and I went to visit Blake at the airport. The rest of the day was spent opening presents and eating and napping (Rory, anyway, due to an excess of presents and sugar and excitement). Bud-o seemed pretty nonchalant at his first Christmas.

They're already becoming such good buddies

Christmas Eve Attire

Bud-o's Christmas Eve outfit

Waaaay overtired Rory and her mama

Bowen Family

Christmas morning- we're missing somebody :(

Happy Bash in his Christmas jammies

Even cinnamon rolls can't make this little grinch a morning person

Waiting for papa to get a break at the airport

Flagstaff airport: not exactly a bustling place Christmas day

Blake and Bash chilling

My loves!

Blake's children were so charming that he was allowed to go home early to be with them on Christmas

Thrilling new ball

To much sugar and attention led to this... that's more than enough Christmas for one year!

 Though it was a great Christmas, I found myself a little disillusioned with certain aspects, from the stupid modern carols playing everywhere I'd go- (Really, is the fact that it's Christmas mean that quality of lyrics and performance cease to matter? With the exception of Michale Buble's All I Want for Christmas, I don't want to hear anything except traditional carols anymore!)- to the little flyers I'd get in the mail beseeching a donation because Christmas is "all about giving." Yes, it is blessed to give. But Christmas is NOT all about giving, or getting, or snowmen or cocoa or family or friends or cookies or coziness. It's about JESUS, and trying to make the season meaningful without HIM is entirely futile. You can wish a merry little Christmas to everyone you meet, and regale them with oodles of tidings of comfort and joy, but your words are hollow if behind them there is no sincere, deep sense of gratitude for a little baby who ultimately went to the CROSS. Without our Savior, no amount of evergreen boughs or chocolate fudge or scented candles could ever make spirits bright, and Christmas may as well be spent alone, with a TV dinner in a chilly room. So the next time a beaming news reporter commends soandso for their swell act of selflessness, and informs you that "this is what Christmas is all about," she is dead wrong. Giving and togetherness and good food and warm fuzzy feelings are all dandy, but too many people try desperately to use them to fill their lives with good cheer, then wonder how it can still be so empty. By all means, get up on your tiptoes to place the star on the tree, but don't neglect to bow down in reverence to your holy King.