Life in the fishbowl: Wrapping up 2010

I hope everybody had a very merry Christmas!

We had a quiet, calm and white Christmas - just the three of us.
It was great!
I tried to make it difficult throughout the month but my husband and child didn't allow it...
thank goodness.
next year I can decorate more,
next year I can cook more,
next year we can be better with starting and continuing traditions...
but this year we took it easy.
I did finish Caleb's Christmas stocking though!

I think he approves!

No big breakfast, no big dinners, no rushing, no dressing up, nobody to worry about pleasing except for our little troop.
I don't expect this to happen again for a very very very long time...like ever.
Don't get me wrong...I love the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I love the idea of gathering in a nice warm home with a big, smiley, happy family...feasting on a beautiful spread just like you see in Southern Living.
...But that just don't happen!

Maybe those magazines and Christmas cards depicting that are liars...(or maybe I'm just used to something a little more dysfunctional ;) )

Either way...it always turns out a little less than perfect
(although in my memory my parents and grandparents made all Christmases storybook perfect)

This Christmas was a break from it all.
Without either of our parents able to join us for the Christmas or Christmas eve festivities, we got to do exactly what we wanted, when we wanted and how we wanted.
No where to be and no specific time line.
It was a different kind of perfect!

Plus, we had white Christmas well...maybe a pastel (?) Christmas
(we got about 1/2 to 1 inch of snow! Awesome for use down her in the South!)

Also, we decided to take it easy on presents this year
<while we still can with a baby instead of an excited 2+ year old>

As you can see, he was still excited!

"Oh wow! An ornament! (and a camera flash)"

Our days consisted of:
eating small easily prepared (and cleaned up) meals
an evening candlelight church service
a warm, cozy fireplace-
just enjoying each other!

And of course a visit from Santa!

First gift from Santa!

Santa always wraps his gifts in brown paper...why should he need fancy paper? He's Santa for goodness sakes!

But you know you're life has changed when the best things about your Christmas was the Kindle you hubby got you and the exercise mat your baby got!

Love the Kindle (apparently somebody read my Dear Santa!)

LOVE LOVE LOVE watching my funny little baby boy kicking away at the seahorse and octopus dangling near his feet!

also love him learning to swat at the plastic ball hovering over his head then lighting up with glee!

We also got him this blow up penguin but we didn't think he'd be able to enjoy it for a few months...
Wrong!
He likes to kick him too!
The little penguin hoot and hollers and giggles when he gets rocked back and forth and Caleb just loves it!
He kicks him so hard the little penguin goes scooting across the floor hooting the whole way!
Boy is he in for it- first being kicked in the gut by an 11 week old...next punched in the face by a 6 month old!

Here is Caleb daring Santa to take one step closer to those cookies:

"Go ahead...make my day..." or "Don't make me get out of this Bumpo."

Today is the first day of 2011, here is a quick review of how we spent the day...
Cheering for the Mississippi State Bulldogs!!!
Whoop-whoop!
<PLEASE disregard the Alabama "A" in the background which does not represent the writer of this blog's collegiate preference...not even if Hell froze over! Although it may be a smidge better than Ole Miss...>

In closing...here are 2010's newest ornament additions:

Christmas Eve's additions: Hubby's bulldog ornament, Caleb's official first Santa ornament from Momma and Daddy, and the snowman for me from the hubbs (from left)