Holidays in Brief

I'm pretty behind the curve in getting any sort of "Christmas recap" out there, but I did want to share some of the sweet pictures and stories from Christmas 2012. I had illusions just now of summing it all up in something cute like "12 Pics of Christmas," but I just can't keep it to just a dozen. I'm still going to try to let the photos tell most of the story, however.

Behold, slightly more than twelve pictures from the Kelley family Christmas celebrations, 2012:

On the 22nd, we had dinner and opened presents at Granna and Opa's house. Kate's big gift was a collection of gymnastics gear: a new leotard, warm-up suit, bag, and water bottle.

The 23rd was Sunday, and filled with our regularly scheduled church services. On the 24th, Christmas Eve, we also had two services, but managed to squeeze dinner with some of Matt's extended family between them. Kate began the day in her new leotard, doing somersaults on the couch (a daily occurrence). The kids and I stayed home and went to bed after the family dinner, while Matt went back for the 11:00 candlelight service.

Back home by 8:30 or so, things were unraveling fast. No cute sister pics by the tree here.

We managed to get into jammies for a reading of "The Night Before Christmas,'" however, before Daddy headed back to church. 

Christmas Day, we enjoyed gifts and breakfast together before loading up the van to head to Louisville.

Kate holding the teeny manger-Jesus up to see his birthday cupcake that we shared during our breakfast.

Off we went, to Louisville!

The one thing Kate kept saying she wanted for Christmas was "star tights," and my mom got some for her. She was so happy!

We enjoyed several more days in Louisville with Nala and Popi, playing our new games, going to the science center, getting together with old friends, and even sledding in a little bit of snow!

We had a little weenie-roast and s'mores lunch out by the firebowl. What fun memories to make!

Matt and I came back early to see his Butler Bulldogs defeat Vanderbilt quite handily on the 29th. Though Matt graduated from both schools, and I never went to Butler, we were still bleeding blue. Undergrad loyalties trump grad school, right? (and we never see Furman play, so I'll put my UK Wildcat-loving blue toward the 'Dogs!)

My parents and I met halfway the next day to pass off the girls, and by New Year's Eve we were all ready to ring in 2013. Just before bedtime, we got out some noisemakers and fizzy orange juice to do a little countdown with the kiddos.

And the next morning, we started the year off right with banana/confetti pancakes.

Hope your new year is off to a good start!