Like Old Times

We stopped by Starbucks with Cindy...

just like old times again :)

I wish we had had her Upwards or Scrabble set with us. 

The little boy took the opportunity to catch some sun at the big picture window, 

and Cindy couldn't wait to get her hands on the Cranberry Bliss Bar :)

Pressies

My Christmas Present from the hubs?

A Computer to replace the one that was seriously dying and blacking out umpteen times every day.

Hurray for Practical Gifts!

However, he also decided he needed to get me a "romantic" gift as well, and so while I wasn't looking, went ahead and got me some perfume. :P Sneaky.

A Visit from the Cousins

It was nice to have Cindy, Walter and Frances over during Christmas. 

The little boy was thrilled to have more people join in a game of Monopoly. :)

Christmas 2017

We had hung the stockings a few nights before, and I am sure it is obvious which sock is whose. :)

It was a cold and dreary day, and the clouds looked threateningly like it would snow.  Alas, the little boy would not have his wish of snow on Christmas.

He DID, though, have lots of toys and treats :)

Stocking stuffers from Dollar Tree are Da Best.

I received a very sweet card in my stocking.

Then it was off to the tree to survey what treasures it held under its pineyness. Stikbot Pets, a Skylanders Book,

Japanese DIY treats from The Richmond Tans, A MONOPOLY GAMER COLLECTOR's EDITION!, ( anytime there is blurriness, it is because of the lack of skill on the photographer's part in capturing frenzied movements from sheer glee and excitement )

See how a Paint by Sticker book does not elicit such blurriness, though it is still much appreciated?

And then there was the Mommy-Made Minecraft Chest filled with Lego Minecraft figurines, and a couple of Stikbot Action Packs.

By now, I had tired of the fuzziness and asked if he wouldn't mind posing and recreating the frenziness, except in a freeze frame position.

And the creme de la creme? A 1600+ "Lego" Minecraft The Village Set, which had been much longed for, for a while now.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

The Night Before Christmas

The hubs has a tradition that started a couple of years back.  He likes to read a copy of "The Night Before Christmas" to the little boy on Christmas Eve, right before the little boy goes to bed, all full of anticipation and excitement.

This year, I had borrowed a book from the library, so that it would be a slightly more interesting read :)

Trimming The Tree

We had put up the tree a few days before, but it wasn't until Christmas Eve, that the little boy and I finally decorated it.

The Bubbling Lights are the hubs' favorite, and so we couldn't NOT put them on the tree.

We didn't do anything fancy, but instead used mostly home made ( Jaxon-made ) ornaments we had made this year as well as those saved from years past.

Of course, then there were the "yearly" ones.

This year's was exceptionally adorable.

Christmas Eve Lunch

We met up with Cindy and Frances ( who was in town for Christmas ), and Uncle Lin for Christmas Lunch.

We brought some pulled pork and beans, and Cindy got some sides from the deli.

Presents were exchanged and much merriment was had :)

The Cold, it is here.

As we all know, we don't have typical winters here in Abilene.  It could very well feel like Late Spring some days.

So, when we have SOME semblance of cold, I get very excited.  I don't want it to last too long, because COLD IS PAINFUL TO A TROPICAL PERSON, but I get excited, nevertheless.


On the mornings when there is frost, it still makes me feel the way I did the first few years that I was here.  Everything was so different and new and super exciting.

I mean, how pretty is this?

Even frost on a scarred plank is beautiful.

I love this photo of a dusting of frost on this log.

And just look at the frost leftover in the shadow of a tree trunk after the sun has come up :)

Christmas Lane 2017

aka the year that the little boy got to big to drive in Daddy's Lap. *sniff* Oh, my heart. *sigh*  This was the first year the little boy spent the entire ride in the back seat.  He may have been able to see everything he needed to from his vantage point, but it was just so glaring that our little boy was getting bigger and older.  ARRGGHHHH.

As with years past, we got there just in time to get in a long line. Oh well, at least it wasn't chaotic, and there WAS a Person In Charge of directing traffic, so that no one would jump queue or anything like that.

There really isn't anything that I can say about the displays, except that it was good to see some of the familiar ones from the various entities.  Some of them were really good, though.

There wasn't much of a wind to mess with the inflatables too much, but that didn't stop some of them from looking like they were doing the "I'm A Little Kettle" dance, or like they were in some sort of choreographed Group Limbo dance.

After making the circuit, we parked and went towards the indoors bit to see Santa, make a phone call to the North Pole and run around a bit with MORE displays on the inside.

The first thing I noticed was that it was really much better lit up in the room than previous years.  AND, there was an operator seated at the Train Table.

The little boy was pretty enamored and burned off a bunch of calories running around with the trains over and over and over.

Animatronics Dolls. 'Nuff said.

We couldn't leave without getting a couple of bags of popcorns..

and the little boy got to make a phone call to The North Pole Elves.

After that, with our popcorns in tow, we drove around the neighborhoods for a bit, taking in every bit of Christmas Cheer that was shared.

and wrapping up our night with the Christmas decorations at the Arrow Ford dealership.