Christmas is Over...and Happy 2012!

Happy New Year to all of you! I really wanted to do a "Year in Review" type post, but it seems unlikely to happen anytime soon and it would be slightly anticlimactic to do it mid January. So, maybe I'll do that next year! :)

These next few pictures are of our days following Christmas.  Ellington is LOVING playing with all of her new toys.  I am currently rearranging things to make places for all of her new goodies. :)  The first picture is  her current favorite.  We got two of a toy so when we went to exchange it, she chose this birthday cake.  Well, she is in HEAVEN.  We have many many many birthday parties a day. 

I think this particular party was for her new baby doll.

It's PRECIOUS that the things she likes to do are "Mommy" type jobs.  I love love love how God places those desires in the hearts of little girls at such a young age.

I recently gave E pigtails and now it's pretty much her favorite thing ever!!!

My Dad came to Starkville on New Year's Eve for a basketball game and he took Ellington back with him.  She stayed with them Saturday night and last night.  I am going to pick her up today.  The break was much needed and appreciated!!!  It gave Robert and I some wonderful time to really reflect on where we have been and where we are headed.  I know that is very cliche sounding, but it was WONDERFUL timing and we really needed it.  It's also given me some time to get our house under control!  The whole month celebrating Christmas this year was amazing.  Experiencing the holiday season with a two year old is pretty much the best thing ever.  It was truly magical.  The actual days surrounding Christmas were BUSY.  I had prided myself all month about how non-stressed our Christmas was going.  Well, it caught up with us.  I think we maybe tried to do too much in too short a time period.  By the time we got to Philadelphia on Christmas day, we were pretty beaten down.  Christmas night Robert and I went to bed at 8:30 and the next night at 9:00.  We were probably not a lot of fun to be around!!!  I couldn't figure out why this Christmas was so much more tiring, but then I realized we haven't ever spent a night at Christmas with my family since E has been born.  So, we basically doubled our traveling/being away from home.  I desperately want us to spend lots of time with both families at Christmas, but I don't know how to make it more smooth next time.  We were so exhausted that I think we missed some of the fun and special time together.  So I guess I will be trying to think of a way to make it a little easier next year!  All of that to say, this little break has been wonderful.  A truly restful/reflective way to start the new year!

Here Robert and I are New Year's Eve!  Even though we were child free we were still in bed before the ball dropped in NYC!  Ha!  We really know how to bring the fun. :)