Merry post-Christmas to you and yours!

Hoping you had a terrific holiday, full of magical family memories.  Christmas Day after all, is a day of magical discoveries and of course, mass feasting.  This merry-maker managed three slices of delectable apple pie (non-vegan, oh and not in one sitting, geez!)

Our Christmas morning was indeed magical, with four kiddos reeling in an obscene amount of loot from Santa.

And the amount of Christmas Eve gifts was just as ridiculous.  Bask in the glory of the Christmas gift mountain range, now called "Moore Heights" in honor of the family who created the monstrosity (and of course recycled NOTHING as they slowly brought the mountain down.)

Moore Heights
founded Dec 24, 2011

Renowned creators of Moore Heights

After a long night of kids tackling their mountains within the Moore Heights range, bed time for sleepy kids who had meltdowns from the hard work it takes unwrapping umpteen gifts, adults opening their presents with tired eyes, but oohing and ahhing appropriately, and near adult-meltdowns from assembling, arranging and stickering Santa gifts, it was finally time to crawl into our respective beds.

Now, it's been awhile since i've shared a room with my parents, but i hadn't forgotten the auditory assault they are capable of. We tucked ourselves into our separate beds, and soon the symphony of snores + bodily emissions began. i hadn't slept much the first night, so i took advantage of the delightful herbals Mom brought... let me just say, thank goodness for sleepy-time herbs!  After the first 30 minutes, i heard nothing until the early morning just before kiddie whispers (which really aren't whispers) and little pitter-patters made their way to my bed to give me a hug and let me know they were headed downstairs to see what Santa had left.

We gathered, a straggly collection of adults, excited, bouncy kids and eye-rubbing toddlers, at the top of the curvy staircase heading down to the living room.  In my grandmothers house, the second floor wraps around the first, leaving a large open area above the entryway and den.  It faces three or four large windows that look out onto a porch that has been fully enclosed and made into another living area.  That's were my parents and i were sleeping.  Mom and i were amongst the straggly collection of sleepy adults.  Dad was still in bed.  Mandy (cousin-in-law) asked me to turn on the light, and when i did, the large open area was flooded with very bright light.  We look across the stairway landing and see Dad sit up suddenly in bed, hair sticking straight up, giving me a startled, but what the hell kind of look.  It's a look we've seen before when we startle him awake.  It makes us roll each time we see it.  Love you, Dad!