Christmas 2010

Dear Kids,

It's after 8 pm on New Year's Eve. Libby, you are (presumably) asleep upstairs. Andrew and Adam, you are watching "The Black Cauldron" with me and Dad. I just realized that I am under the gun to put this blog to bed for 2010, and I haven't even covered Christmas. So I am multitasking: quality time with you guys and documenting memories of this last week or two.

This was our Christmas (or "Christmakkuh" as we should probably refer to it this year since it stretched out over so many days) to travel to Indiana to be with the Nichols family. So our Christmas began with our celebration with Poppa Keith, Beppie, and Aunt Whitney the week before Christmas Day.

Libby and Beppie having Christmas tea.

The next day we got a big surprise! While you kids were out with Daddy, Santa stopped by our house! Even though it wasn't quite Christmas Day, he left a few presents here so you could have some to open under your own tree. You just missed him, but he couldn't wait around -- it was, after all, Santa's busiest time of year.

Look who got a new bike! No more hand-me-down boy's bike for Miss L!

Libby's baby got a new bottle and diaper bag for Christmas!

Adam, you just make me laugh. Nice shirt!

My sweet little Christmas boy.

A few days later, we all piled into the car to make the long drive to Indiana. Thanks to some new four-lane roads through Ohio, a 5 am departure time (oh, yes, we did!), and three children old enough to watch movies in the car, the trip was much less hideous than usual. We're making progress! This was an exciting year because you had a new baby cousin to meet: Baby Oliver! And you had good times playing with Cousin Logan.

White Christmas in Indiana!

Reading "The Night Before Christmas" with Poppa.

Putting out reindeer food on Christmas Eve.

All the Nichols cousins!

Cookies we made for Santa.

Leaving cookies and a note for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning: Santa wrote back! Uh-oh...Gangee's on the naughty list!

Christmas Day: Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

And there it is. Christmas 2010 in pictures.

Kids, you are too little to understand -- we try every day to tell you -- you are very blessed. One day when you are older and look at these pictures, I hope you will really look at what they represent. Don't look at what's in them. Look past the presents, extremely nice as they are. Look at who's in them. Look at all the people in these pictures who love you! Check out your grandparents -- you are blessed with four who would do anything for you. Look how special they all made Christmas for you and the delight they took in your delight. Look at your cousins. I am so excited that you have cousins! Cousins are gold. I pray you will remain close through the years. And we're not in any of these pictures, but I think you know...the people behind the camera love you very much.

Daddy and I are so thankful for this Christmas and this year with all of you.

Love, Mom