Such a happy Christmas

I just don't want to try to capture it here in words.  Words can't describe what a comforting nice time these past three days have been.  So much fun, joy, love, noise, laughter, food, contentment.  A few times, I've just wished time could stand still, and I could savor everything going on around me.

Emily and Ryan just plan such a good time for us all.  Sometimes I think Emily just wants everything for us, too much.  Too worried that everyone is not perfectly happy at all times, that everyone doesn't get the perfect gifts, that someone is going to be disappointed about something.  She was sick last year the whole season, it seems, so this year she was present and active and cheering us all on.

I'm not sure of all of their activities that didn't include me.  I know there were many!  But  we all six gathered here Monday afternoon for stockings.  Six people seem like a big crowd in this apartment, but we had such a good time.  Cats running, children playing and chasing cats, coffee drinking, snack eating, stockings emptied.  I never get very good pictures when so much is going on, but here are a few:

The girls got their rest earlier at home and refreshed their eyes for the upcoming night.

Elise somehow got her hands on this sweater and gifted it to Emily who totally enjoyed it.  It brought out her popcorn knit dancing mood.

The girls loved their Nutcracker ornaments from Aunt Carol.  She always finds the best Clara and Sugar Plum Fairy.

Best gift ever - up to that point!  It's a compact with a built-in brush and lip gloss!  I think there were bottles of nail polish and Fancy Nancy things in the stockings too.  

They can always count on Dad to fix little complicated toys that come in the candy packs.

And get rewarded by a special hair brushing from that pink brush.

Ryan says he likes his Auburn socks that matched his basketball he got today.   Good thing, because grown-ups, especially guys, hardly ever get anything good in their stockings.

I'm sorry I didn't get close-ups of these cute pencils and erasers with matching post-it notes.  Katherine's is a cat in a box (still holding that brush), and Graysen's is a mermaid.  They've been asking for little notebooks like some I have, so they got those and are now all set for taking notes.

This scarf!  One afternoon after school, Graysen said she would like to have a scarf for her neck.  "I wish I had" are battle cries for grandmothers, so when I was in Issaquah doing last-minute things Tuesday, I kept that in mind.  Target had nothing that I could find without unicorn heads hanging off them, but when I went into Small Threads to consign some clothing of theirs, I passed by the scarf section, and there were several but only one that I thought was cute.

Couldn't resist the price of $1, so I snatched it up with the pencils and erasers and maybe a couple of Calico Critters things.  They do sell new things there, so I take in the old and get the new.  Except for the scarf, of course.  That's the first thing she saw and grinned so big.  She whipped it around her neck a couple of times and wore it the whole night.  I caught her in front of a mirror admiring her look later on.  She was fascinated by the tiny white buttons trimming the edges and the little bow.

This is what things turned into once Ryan stretched out on the floor.  I hope he wasn't planning on napping.  

 This is right before I confiscated the pencil that I was sure was destined to poke out an eye.

That was the first of three good times.  I'm worn out now and ready for bed.  I'll have some more tomorrow, including pictures of the ham Ryan made and those smashed potatoes.  And tracking Santa and getting some good conversation with just Elise and Emily and me.

Just got this picture.  It's about the way I feel.  But without the cheetah.  I do have new pajamas though.