Christmas 2011

I was standing here chomping on a piece of homemade bread (sans the convenient handle at the top)  when a set of beloved grandparents in Mississippi came to mind.  Giggie and Bop - this one's for you.  

Beginning at the end -

Here's how Jonathan let me know that it was time for the tree to come down.  

Since we were leaving the next day for Ft. Worth to visit family, I was slightly less than amused, but so thankful that he wasn't hurt, I couldn't get even remotely angry.  Unfortunately, this little accident had some natural consequences of its own.  Jonathan was whisked into his high chair until I could figure out how to safely let him down again.  That took quite a while, and for a very active toddler, it was punishment enough I think.  

Papa Jack and Grammy came down from Amarillo to spend Christmas with us.  That was the best Christmas gift they could have given us.  We are always traveling on the holidays, so the opportunity to spend Christmas in our own home was a tremendous blessing.  

 sitting in the favorite basket-reading

 With Grammy & Papa Jack at Bass Pro

 Santa's Wonderland Carousel with Papa Jack

 Partners in crime

 Santa's Elves

On Christmas Eve, we attended a service at our church.  Naturally, I forgot the hanky, but we found a box of Kleenex on a kneeling bench nearby.  I needed it.  It was a beautiful, powerful service.  We returned home, grilled steaks and managed to make complete pigs of ourselves.  Jonathan is generally in bed between 7 & 7:30, so Papa Jack and Jason got busy assembling Jonathan's work bench.  We stayed up late making cinnamon rolls for the guards pulling duty on Christmas Eve.  I tried this recipe first, but, as good as it sounded, it didn't quite work with my home-milled flour.  I threw a lot of dough, butter and cinnamon in the trash -- so much in fact we didn't have enough supplies to make the cookies I'd planned.  I used a combination of these recipes for the rolls - Breadbecker's Basic Dough & Southern Living's Cinnamon Pecan Rolls  YUM!  On Christmas morning we baked more rolls for neighbors and for guards assigned to Christmas Day.  We were so stuffed with cinnamon rolls that we didn't start our birthday cake tradition.  Maybe next year.  

 Opening a gift

 Daddy's marshmallow shooter - the annual gag gift

 A rare moment - Jonathan still and silent

The workbench

 A Christmas nap

 Climbing 

Over the last few weeks, Jonathan has begun climbing - on everything.  I've found him standing on the arm of the couch, the back of the couch and the end table.  We have a little deterrent, but we're still not quite using it consistently enough.  It seems that the terrible twos have started at 18 months.  Yikes.  

 Darling little pink cheeks

So, we're back 'round to the ending again.  We made a quick trip to Ft. Worth to visit my grandmother and brothers.  Here's Jonathan dropping leaves into the fountain in my grandmother's back yard.  To our relief, we found the yard in a complete mess.  If you knew my grandmother, you'd understand our relief.  She is 88 and recently had hip surgery.  She doesn't let much stop her.  Thankfully, she hasn't been out raking and burning leaves lately.  We drove in Friday afternoon and spent most of the day Saturday raking leaves, mulching leaves, bagging leaves, mowing and digging dandelions out of her beds.  

Saturday night, Granny cooked up a roast, her famous mashed potatoes, corn, salad and rolls. Aunt Donna, Josh, Cyndi and precious Nora came for a nice, long visit.  Oh - what a sweet, sweet baby!   

Jonathan and Daddy on Granny's tractor

It was a beautiful, busy, enchanted Christmas.  Jonathan was so much fun to watch.  Here's a little taste of our Christmas morning.  I never want to forget or take for granted each phase in Jonathan's life.  He's growing up too fast!