Merry Christmas!

While the photos are lacking while I'm away from home, I'm still here! We have snuggled into my parents' home and are settled into the steady hum of craziness that is holidays around here. We spent the first few days in preparations. There's something wonderful about hanging your own terribly ugly childhood ornament creations on your parents' tree and getting to witness the backyard extravaganza of lights that my Dad puts up for us every year. There is a wild amount of delicious food, orchestrated by Aunt Tinie and Uncle Jake, including at least 9 kinds of cookies, various breads, and other snacks. If the record player isn't on, someone's ipad is playing their choice of music, or there's an impromptu concert put on by whomever is feeling the music. On Christmas day, there was rarely a moment when Colette wasn't ambling about with a treat or snack clutched in her little hands. I'm so grateful for this time together with my family, and while it's hard to be away from the work I have to do at home, this is good, really good. It is important to me that despite the fact that we live over 500 miles away from my parents, that my girls are as comfortable with them and with my siblings as if we lived in the same town (thank you, skype!) Happiness is watching my littles snuggled up on laps, reading stories, and begging treats from every and any adult hanging about. It's a good life. Merry Christmas!