Christmas time is here.....

I just was thinking that I"ve been hanging out with you in dicoccoville for just over a year now.. remember the first sushi post? That was christmas last year. So, hey, happy anniversary to us!

And merry christmas to you.
(and for the record, I'm not certain what is up with the animals at the manger scene.
They are tricky ones those livestock. )


Mom and Dad are here all the way from Italy. Indy and I drove to Chicago on Saturday to pick them up. They came bearing Italian chocolates and pictures and stories. It is so good to have them here to love on. We've missed them so! AND that also means, we had a great big family christmas morning . We made a fire in the fireplace before we even opened one present. Most of us stayed in our pajamas all day. We ate nothing but junkfood. We listened to one song on Harrison's new CD at least 15 times on repeat before Mom noticed. Billy looks super cute in his new hat. Mom loved her noomas, Jae bought us a big green suitcase (that will soon see Africa!). Billy gave me enough endangered species chocolate bars to start my very own collection (which one is your favorite??).


My favorite gifts of the entire day? One is the one that Madyline and Avery made for Harrison... super cool. Totally out of screws and washers and little wingnutty things.












and the other is a special gift I "schemed" for Miss Ava. She has wanted toe socks in the worst way. But on one of her feet, the two littlest toes are permanently stuck together. Kind of makes life tricky for toe socks.... until Mom comes to the rescue. I wasn't certain I could do it... I mean, really all I had to do was make a little snip and sew the two little fuzzy sides together into one big sleeve for her toes... but I'm not the greatest hand sewer. I was thinking I just should have commissioned Katie to knit up a pair of nine toed socks. But, on christmas eve, I made the commitment and got out my scissors and needle... and whatd'yaknow?? there was much rejoicing on Christmas morn!




We've been resting here in dicoccoville. Went on a walk downtown today, ordered chinese food in last night. Mom is on the phone with her bestest friend in St Louis now, and called her sisters yesterday. Trying to catch up on the last few months that they've been out of the country. It will be our turn for those stuff-it-all-in chats soon. In fact, I need to have some of them now before we leave. You know who you are! I'll try to call soon. But for now, Mom and Dad leave tomorrow already... to go see the brothers... so I'm going back to life here and soak up as much time as I can with them.

snuggle well...
sleep well..
enjoy the moment..