christmas 2014!

I hope that you all had a very merry christmas! things were so much fun around here and even though we missed guinness a ton (our first christmas without him) we felt him all around us as we celebrated. unfortunately we didn't have any snow (nope, not even here in the midwest) and that was a bummer. but there was plenty of food and love and gifts to exchange just as well. 

christmas eve was exactly what I expected, and then better. brian and I stayed up late to finish wrapping for santa and setting up all of lorelai's gifts just right under the tree. santa knew that she would love a play kitchen because it is her favorite thing ever at daycare! and along with a ton of books, he also brought her first baby doll and a doll cradle, some vintage toys that were our favorites as kids and other special things too. but perhaps my favorite of her gifts this year, is the red wagon that was mine as a child. she hasn't really enjoyed it a lot quite yet, but I think that she will love it this spring when the weather gets warm.

we started many new traditions this year, including baking christmas cookies and a gingerbread house. honestly, lorelai did not contribute in the making of the gingerbread house, however she did confiscate a couple of gumdrops.

I loved our christmas cards so much this year, thanks to the brilliant designs at artifact uprising and our photo session with orange anchor photography. they are so special to me. and christmas jammies are another tradition that we started this year, lorelai got several new pairs of christmas pajamas leading up to christmas day.

we did a lot of dancing this christmas season. both at home and at events. lorelai loved dancing to the christmas orchestra downtown. she ran around that place like crazy dancing and clapping and laughing. and our favorite record to dance to at home was she & him's christmas album of course...

I have watched this video ten thousand billion jillion times, i love it so.

^^ just look at those treasures that lorelai made at daycare. I am still not over how sweet these are, absolute gems, GEMS. and perhaps my two favorite things in the house this season (except the tree of course) are the fireplace that brian and I scored on a whim on black friday and the ohjoy for target "fa la la la la" gold banner. so simple and sweet. we have lived in our home for nearly eight years and for all eight of those years we have longed for a fireplace. we finally have a tiny, little fake fireplace and it is the greatest thing money could buy this winter. we love to huddle around it under blankets and watch christmas movies.

christmas is always a magical time, but experiencing it through new, curious eyes is so special. the wonder in her eyes fills my whole heart.

visiting santa was an absolute delight for lorelai. we weren't sure how she would like it since she has started to play shy now, but she loved santa!! she stared at his face for a couple of minutes before she was satisfied enough to smile for a photo, but gosh it was a priceless moment. santa said "merry christmas lorelai, ho ho ho" and she giggled so loud.

^^brown paper packages tied up with string and our favorite christmas jammies ever.

picking out our christmas tree was a riot. we had planned to let lorelai run around and whichever tree she ran to would be our tree for the year. well... she was so excited that she was running everywhere and didn't stop! so we had to settle for one of the trees that she kept running laps around. it was a moment to remember.

^she loved picking ornaments off of the tree just as much. this is her face after I yelled "no no". classic deer in headlights, isn't it? plus a little snippet from our family photo shoot. more to come later!

christmas morning, just the three of us, was really the most special. I didn't take many photos then because I just wanted to be in that moment. it was special, but in all honesty, it wasn't perfect. lorelai was tired from being up late the night before and we had to wake her up early to start our day.. so she was cranky. brian has a hilarious video of her coming around the corner into the living room, looking at the presents, then running to brian with her arms up, tripping, falling and crying oh so dramatically. it sounds mean to say, but it's actually quite funny. after a bit she woke up more and had a blast exploring her kitchen and reading her new books to us. but all this to say, that even though so many things look picture perfect.. they most certainly are not. but isn't that the beauty of it? we can't wait to show lorelai that video years from now. then we got all dressed up and visited family for the rest of the day.

a splendid holiday with my dear little family... one for the books that I will always remember. I can't wait to carry on our traditions in the years to come.

Xxxx chelsea