2013...here we are

Since I finally got around to sending out my holiday Happy New Year Welcome-to-2013(?) cards today, I figure I'm on a roll, so I should update my blog with a Happy New Year post of some sort. So, per usual, I will summarize with pictures:

Before we entered 2013, we thoroughly enjoyed the joys of Christmas.....

PRE-CHRISTMAS

Someone won a raffle for a rather large, pimped out Gingerbread House at school...out of everyone in her K through 5th elementary school.... She was very happy. To say the least.

 I mean seriously...that is one Mac Daddy of a Gingabred Crib yo.

 If that isn't a classic Big Brother Creeper look, I don't know what is....

This is what it looks like now. Hmmm...I wonder what happened?

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If my mom had ever let me do this, I would have thought I had died and gone to heaven....

I went to Boston for a day to visit with a beloved friend visiting from across the country. Thankfully, my boys were able to play with The Ducklings in the Boston Public Garden before we moved....

Make way for these ducklings!

A kiss for his new friend.

Oh my goodness. The cuteness of it all.

And of course there was the baking.....and more baking (this is only the beginning)....YUM!

CHRISTMAS EVE

 Well... 2 out of 4 listening to "Twas the Night Before Christmas" ain't bad....

Cutest lil Santa. Ever.

 

CHRISTMAS MORNING 

(Note that Santa left the fireplace screen open and made a mess with the ashes. Naughty Santa.)

Growing up, we always had to wait on the steps to see the tree and presents until Mommy and Daddy were good and ready. I have kept that tradition....

Anders was expressing what the others were feeling -- just get me to the gifts!!!!

Daddy is trying so hard to make it better.

He's getting there.... (Obviously Niels is the only one who is keeping the faith on this one.)

So close.....

Niels: You're almost there Anders! You can do it! 

Daddy: It's about freaking time he stopped crying.

Soren: Can I just pleeeease go open some presents! Please?

Anna Clara: How about this smile?!

 POST CHRISTMAS

 {All except the last two pictures below were taken with my new iPhone...which is really Jim's old iPhone until I get my new iPhone (long story). I've been experimenting with his phone since I've never had one and it's been fun doing things with it that I've observed others doing all these many years of the iPhone existence. And yes, it took me this long to be convinced to get one -- and I'm a Mac user!}

Off to New York City! (Perhaps our last drive to my most favorite city during the holidays. *sniff*)

Always the most beautiful tree in the my world.

 

The sites of the City.

New haircuts for 2013!!!!

No more mullet.

No more bowl cut.

 Daddy's last evening with us after 3 wonderful weeks having our whole family together....

Daddy planting the St. Joseph statuette his sister gave him so we would sell the house...maybe one of these days....

Here's to a year when everything falls into place just as it should...and perhaps even easily and perfectly,
if that's not asking too much.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!