Joyeux Noel

I will take this moment after the house has been tidied, the kids have gone to bed, the brunch food is prepared and waiting in the fridge to be baked/roasted tomorrow, Santa's cookies are on his plate, and before the marathon of present wrapping has begun to wish one and all happy holidays, free from the family dysfunction and stress that can sometimes accompany this joyous time of year.

Best moments of Christmas Eve 2005:

Charlotte has learned how to dance. Granted, it's kind of similar to hillbilly clogging, but it's also accompanied by spinning and head bobbing, which is ultra cute.

If you bend waaaay waaaay down to the floor, and ask Charlotte for kisses, she will come running with the sweetest smile on her face, and put her cool little lips to your cheek and make kissy noises, unless you're Daddy, in which case she lets out a fiendish giggle and runs away. Heh.

Simon checks NORAD for Santa's progress, and when asked to take off his clothes, strips naked in front of the fire and stretches out like a cat.

Ethan cannot contain his glee, and vibrates with anticipation, willingly taking off to bed with the loveliest of hugs.

Making my first pie ever as a Christmas present for my dad, who has everything and is impossible to buy for. All he has wanted for the better part of a year is a "French Apple Pie" like he used to get at White Castle, with apples and raisins in it, and a frosty glaze on the top crust. So I researched it online and found a recipe and made it and it is beautiful, and I delivered it to my parents house while they were out to dinner, and left it on the counter with a simple note, and he is sooooo happy. YAY!!!!!

Stretching out with my exhausted co-Santa after we've done absolutely everything there is to do, for our 3 hours of sleep before the kids bound out of bed.

I like being Santa.

Merry Christmas folks!