Oh Christ-mas, How I Love Thee

I was doing so good on my December Daily postings...I didn't even miss one...

...for like TWENTY whole days...

...but then came our trip to a little place called California.

{Oh California, how I love thee.}

And I failed. Uhhhh!

My excuse--I just didn't use the computer the whole week.

Which was quite lovely I might add.

So I'm about to make up for it. I'm going to drown this blog in some Christ-mas photos.

The Swisherz headed into the rock-n-roll Christmas service.

My bro snapped these shots of us of us on our way in. Now that I am a mom, I understand why my mom loved being in church with all of her kids on Christ-mas so much. It's just special.

And the twins, well, they were all kinds of adorable.

My mom + dad in all their glory. (Well almost all their glory because Judah wasn't there.)

My mom had some great activites for the kids to do while we there. Bird feeders, gingerbread houses, snowman cookies, peppermint play dough, jingle bell painting, ornament-glittering...you name it. We all had a blast!

(And swept the floor about 215 times!)

Tubby time was a personal fave.

How lucky are these turds!

Two things:

1.) My brother can grow a better handlebar moustache than your brother.

2.) That beauty on the right, she's my niece. She's a gem. I've never met a 13 year old girl like her. I'm so glad she's in our family.

Even if she's half Canadian.

Bah-dum-dum.

The original 5.

These photos don't get to happen too often anymore.

Add in the matching Christmas pajamas and we are talking not very often at all.

I'm sure this will be in the family calendar next year.

These 2 are brothers from another mother.

My dude from the woods of Pacific NW + Kelsey's 'neck from the dirty south = BFF.

Who would have thought?!

But I do love it.

Meet the new partial-owner of the Green Bay Packers.

This is one happy man right here.

Did I mention I love California? This was our Christ-mas day picnic...

CHRIST-MAS DAY PEOPLE!

And how about that scarf--

Well that was finger-knit from the Canadian.

Love.

The fam.

On the train we ride whenever we visit Folsom.

Good memories.

(Even if Jackson hates the whistle.)

Oh yeah, did I mention Santa came???

As usual, he did NOT disappoint.

We did have one tragedy.

One of Jackson's toys got stuck in my hair.

Bad.

Really, really bad.

It's a funny story, but it was looking like I was going to have to say goodbye to my long locks. Brian saved the day with his patience and determination.

(My high pain tolerance probably helped a little too.)

Owwww!

Of course this happened to me.

Of course.

We had a great visit. So much fun and photos that I'm not including believe it or not.

We are blessed.

So very blessed.

And we haven't even celebrated with the other side of the family yet.