As holly as it was jolly.

This is just a creepy santa that lives on my Grandma's tree...

He's actually really charming at the right angle.

We're here again in our little Utah apartment... here in the throws of work and school. Have you ever been tossed in somebody's ice cold pool without a warning? That's what returning to work feels like after 2 weeks of holiday. So now at the end of one long week of files, and laundry piles (and adjusting to reality)... allow me to soak up all of that jingle belly goodness one. more. time.

A Concise (as I get) Christmas List

1. A baby was born in Bethlehem. We celebrated! A baby was born in our own family. We celebrated! We held him and fell in love.

2. We paddled boats at Stowe Lake in the magical green place that is Golden Gate Park.

3. We slept in. Sleeping in is heaven for the living.

4.We shopped for Christmas. We conquered.

5. We had family parties. We played family games. We saw temple lights. We made gingerbread houses.

6. We fell quickly into the rhythm of hometown and it felt so. good.

7. We went to fenton's and ate our hearts out.

8. We made a killer rope swing (and by we I mean Phil).

9. We rang in the new year popping poppers and sparkling sparklers.

10. We ate too much. And then napped just to let it stick.

Now its back to the office. 

Back to the books. 

Back to the gym and the grocery store and the quiet little nook we lovingly call home. It's good to be back; to cook dinners and play with friends and be young and married in the land of young marrieds. 

But 

Christmas 

really was a gift.