Oh Christmastime, Oh Christmastime...

Christmastime...was here. And it passed by much too quickly for my taste. It seems like the Christmas music just started playing and people were looking for that perfect tree. As this was our first Christmas as a married couple, there were many new things this year.

Setting up our own traditions...blending his with mine and making them ours.

December was filled with lots of good music ("Oh Christmas Tree" is forbidden, however), soft candlelit evenings, trying to keep up with Advent readings and growing closer together and deeper in love.

Three Christmas celebrations added excitement to this season. We celebrated our first Christmas day with our California family...a cozy fire in the wood stove, warm homemade cinnamon rolls, real egg nog and lots of other goodies were just the beginning to a fun, heartwarming, memorable day. And I'll let the pictures tell the rest...

I honestly don't remember how many dozen cookies were made, but there were TONS of different kinds...and somebody had to be a taste tester, right?

Grandma's cookie cutters get pulled out every year, as does Grandma's recipe for some amazing sugar cookies. A tradition that Mumsie grew up with. A tradition that Ben grew up with. A tradition with many memories wrapped up in it is one that will not be lost.

Mmmmm. The soft, chewy cookies are about to be decorated by the mob...

Ben, the leader of the "Peeps in the hood" leads the way with gobs of blue icing.

Thomas is home!!!!!!!! That means he can...strangle Ben?

No, Thomas was just trying to crack Ben's back...really, I'm telling the truth!

Psst! Nic...you're supposed to be paying attention...not to the camera, to the reading!

In the NT Hector household, squirrels are everywhere, and they should never be left out of a Christmas celebration. I think that Becky agrees.

Yum?

Santa's helper found a package with his name on it! Don't you love it when that happens?

Linds: "You didn't?!?!? Really?!?!?"

Canon cameras have that effect on people.

It's almost as good as having the love of your life propose to you...

Okay, so maybe not...

Sarah gets a new friend.

Not only do the men in this family wear strange hats, they also make funny faces. Then again, when one is faced with an embroidered anti-heat-stroke-pad, what other kind of face should one make? It's a reenactor's thing.

A robot!!!!! Yes, they have a special place in this marriage, and that one is kind of cute.

Remember what I said? *smile*

Oh...and DON'T BLINK.

Period.

No, I'm serious...if you saw what was in that box, you'd do the same...don't blink.

And good luck.

Ummm, should we be afraid?

Yes, we should. Very afraid.

Should we call him Farmer Tom?

Ummm, yeah. Don't ask.

Ben has a special place in his heart for his stuffed animals. In fact, I think he remembered all of their names! Maybe one day we'll figure out what to do with this zoo.

Our second Christmas coming soon!