Christmas 2010

This Christmas I had a hard time getting in the mood for the holidays. Snow usually helps but when it snowed the last of November it was just depressing. I always put up my Christmas village Thanksgiving weekend, but this year we were still painting the kitchen until the first weekend in December. The village never did get put up. The tree and decorations didn't get up as early as other years--in fact I only used about a third of what I have--and I had to force myself to put those up! I didn't bake any cookies or drive around looking at Christmas lights. The kids made Christmas day fun, as always. Afterwards I was contemplating what had been missing this year. I decided that I was missing the little traditions that make Christmas special for me. Next year I will do my traditional things even if some of them take a lot of work-I will just start earlier! This was Strider's first Christmas. He was four and a half months old. He is such a blessing and is growing so fast.
Strider among the Christmas bears Alicia collects.