Christmas was very lovely. Despite my efforts at getting the shopping done relatively early, I was still finishing up a lot (wrapping, more shopping, baking, assembling photo gifts, etc) down to the wire but mostly it all got done. Turns out Jim ended up having off the 23rd and the 24th so we got some extra time together to prep for the holidays and our big feast at our house on Christmas Day. We also got to head downtown to Macy's for the annual Oxenford lightshow tradition (something we weren't sure we were going to get to do this year) which was really nice. Then Christmas Eve we headed over to Dee Ree and Pop Pop's as is our usual tradition. Unfortunately, our girls just can't seem to make it up late enough to see their aunts and uncles and cousins sadly but we had a nice visit with Dee Ree and Pop Pop before heading home to get the girls asleep for Santa's big arrival. Christmas Day we had about 20 family members here for dinner at our house. It all was very nice and wonderful to see family and spend time together. Then, we have had the week together (with Jim off from work) to try and recover and have a few more fun family outings. We got to go to the Aquarium and to the Mummers Parade and Free Family event at the Kimmel Center plus a trip out to our favorite smorgasboard and Amish shopping mecca - Shady Maple - with Jim's family. We got to have skype calls with Grandma and Grandpa MacDougall and also with Sophie's friend Kiera from California. And, Jim and I even managed to get an impromptu date night when Dee Ree graciously offered to watch the girls for us one night. Yes, there were some major tantrums (food throwing, juice dumping, scream fests). Yes, Emily was a screaming banshee. A lot. Yes, we are exhausted from waking up with Emmy. But all told it was a really great week and I'm so thankful to my darling husband for taking the week off from work so we could have this time at the holidays together as a family.
Macy's holiday lightshow
Sohie's letter to Santa. Whenever we asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she always said "A Purple Lollipop"
Sophie mailing her letter to Santa
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