Merry Christmas everyone!

I honestly can't believe it's Christmas. I'm still trying to figure out where 2010 has gone. I remember when the year started, I thought it'd last forever - and here we are. December 25. One week left in this year and this decade. I just don't get how time flies faster and faster the older I get.

Anyway. Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas - it was a lively time in our house with me, my mom, my sis and JJ. It wasn't the same this year since my dad and J were gone, but my dad was able to get on Skype and watch us open a majority of our presents, which was awesome. He'll open his presents when he comes home next month - still crossing fingers he actually gets to come home at the end of next month.

JJ was still up at 11:30 last night [weird, since that never happens], so we went ahead and started opening presents. Tradition in our family is to open them at midnight, and we were going to skip that this year - but with my dad able to get on Skype and JJ still up, we went ahead and opened them. JJ got a lot of fantastic stuff from the family, that's for sure. He got a new easel [white board on one side; chalk board on the other], a VTech reader, two new Elmo sound books, an Elmo set that has a growth chart and five books, Dr. Seuss books, two Wii Sesame Street games [that we haven't even opened yet...hm...], a cool light-up car, another drawing thing, two floor puzzles and something else I'm sure I'm forgetting. But the thing he loved the most was this:

I bought him a mini Dyson since he loves helping me and my mom vacuum. I wasn't sure if he'd like it - but he looooooooves it. I need to post video of him "vacuuming" the living room at my parents' place...it's hilarious how accurate he is when it comes to vacuuming. He pays closer attention than I thought! Besides the easel, that's pretty much all he played with all day. And I haven't even put the batteries in it so that it can run and pick up the little pieces that are inside the canister.

Oh. And we haven't even opened the Step 2 play kitchen and work bench he got. Holy moly. I forgot about those. I'm not sure how we'll top this Christmas, but I'm just glad JJ loves what he got and that he's using them all. I'm continuously amazed by how big he's getting. Last year, he got stuff to help him crawl and walk. This year, he got bigger kid stuff. Sigh. 

While JJ was spoiled, Mama was spoiled, too. The goods include a Blu-ray player [that streams Netflix and Pandora!], a KitchenAid hand mixer, new pots, a blender/juicer/food processor, what has become my New Year's shirt and necklace from Ann Taylor, a manicure set [i already used the black sparkle nail polish in the kit and love it], gift cards for Ann Taylor and Victoria's Secret, a new Garmin(!) with lifetime maps(!!), new pajamas, a 16GB SD card, two sets of new boots, and...

I'm still in shock that I own this. And it's mine. And I don't have to give it back. I've been lusting [literally] over one for months now, but I didn't have the money saved up to get one just yet. Well, my amazing parents resolved that issue and got this for me. I can't wait to set it up and use it for the first time. I cried when I opened the package because this was the LAST thing I was expecting. It's so preeeeeeeeeeeeetty. I'm so blessed. Seriously.

AND, we got J's gifts today - it's so cool to get a Christmas delivery [especially when a longtime family friend who happens to be a mailman makes the delivery]. I got a new cookbook, and JJ got two new books and a coloring book. I sent J his Christmas gift earlier this week and thought it wouldn't make it, but it was delivered this afternoon - so he had something to open on Christmas! Even though we were apart, being able to open gifts from one another brought us together.

This year, I don't feel the Christmas blues that I feel most years - probably because I did more to live in the spirit of the holiday than in years past. JJ and I put the tree up at our place this year, and I hung lights. And, thanks to Scentsy, our place smelled holiday fresh all season long. :)

Now, I'm going to focus on finishing the year strong and preparing to ring in 2011. I am so incredibly blessed to have an amazing family who is able to spoil me year after year. I had such a wonderful Christmas and hope you all did, too. Please don't forget the reason for the season. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!