Feel the Love. . . the Warm, Fuzzy, Christmasey Love!!!

Think Christmas is over? Ha! Not on our blog!
Bringing you some Christmas spirit to brighten up your dreary January day (see! I posted these a month late on purpose! Just for you!), I bring you. . . our Christmas photos!!!

Recipe for One Wonderful Christmas:

Ingredients-

*1 adorable baby

(Best results if the adorable baby is experiencing her very first Christmas. First Christmas pictures just can't be beat! LOVE them!)

*1 Santa hat (essential for photos! See examples below)

*A few dozen strings of multicolored Christmas lights
(Kirsten is obsessed with them! She calls them "bulbs" and has the best time pointing out bulbs wherever she sees them!)

*1 Christmas tree skirt. Elf hat is optional.

*1 real Christmas tree!
I know everyone has fake trees now, but I don't care. . . those just don't make it a Christmas to me. I love to sit next to our real Noble fir tree, covered in lights and ornaments, and just inhale the scent of fresh pine. I won't ever buy a fake tree!

*A fascinating, unique collection of ornaments from all kinds of places and time periods.
I have one from every year of my life growing up (a tradition I am definitely continuing for my kids!), and I buy ornaments on my travels whenever I can find them.
I think it's my very best collection!

*Houses within driving distance that are decorated out the wazoo like this one:

*1 sweet Nativity scene

*1 enormous Mickey Mouse Santa balloon

*As many reindeer covered in lights as you can find

*1 life-sized dancing Grinch
(Kirsten wasn't scared of that Grinch. . . in fact, she talked about it for the entire trip. What was really making her nervous was the jolly old man in the red suit!)

*1 jolly old St. Nicholas

*1 young child who is frightened out of her wits by Santa Clause
(okay, this is optional. But it gives the recipe some comedy and spice!)

*1 gorgeous temple, surrounded by beautiful lights and statues

*1 statue of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus
(SO precious! Kirsten loved them!)

*1 statue-loving child

(Seriously, she loves statues! Personally I think they're kind of creepy, especially these painted ones, but she was all over them!)

*1 new Christmas dress
(I really wish I'd gotten a much better picture of her in this dress)

*Fun cousins to play with on Christmas Eve

*1 DVD of Disney's 'Small One'. I watch it, and get teary-eyed, every single Christmas Eve. And I love it even more now than I did when I was little.

*Many, many wrapped presents underneath a beautiful tree, ready for Christmas morning!

*1 bright and beautiful Christmas morning!

(Natalie was kind of grumpy until she had her morning nap. This was the best I could do with her!)

*Hundreds of excited expressions and happy smiles!

(If you look closely, you can see her giving the Calico Critter baby a tiny bottle. Precious!)

*Sunny So-Cal weather, suitable for testing out bubble guns
(Really, though. . . I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Never had one yet! WILL have one someday!)

*1 family picture taken in pj's on the stairs

*Multiple quarts of homemade eggnog. The best in the world!

*1 delicious Christmas breakfast cooked by my Mom

*Lots of satisfied expressions

Directions:

*Mix ALL ingredients together, and add a dash of laughter, two cups of warmth, and ALL the joy, love, and happiness you've got!

The results:

Makes one wonderful, amazing, beautiful Christmas that will be remembered for years to come! Serves: As many as you want!!!

Merry Christmas in January, everyone!