So This is Christmas {2013}

[gallery type="slideshow" ids="5760,5761,5762,5763,5784,5765,5770,5771,5774,5775,5777,5779,5785,5781,5783,5780,5786"]

I was really glad I got to spend the weekend with Mukarram before I headed down to N.C. for Christmas. That weekend was  made possible (emotionally guilt-free) because I had to work and they were heading to the mountains for the Polar Express over the weekend. Well, Sunday afternoon Mukarram came and picked me up to take me to the airport as well as pick up my birdies to watch them over the next two weeks (he also ended up taking Shannon's as they were missing a mommy and a caretaker!)

I guess it is my personality but I had a really hard time saying goodbye to him for two weeks. I'm excited to see my family but I just want him there with me (i'm an idiot). I suppose knowing this would be the last time I had Christmas with so much family around since Derek, Kristie and the kids are moving to Florida and my parents are moving to Utah before next year, made me nostalgic. The buzz of Christmas is always amazing and, perhaps the reminiscence of college, i love the buzz in the air as I head to my parents and relax to the lead-up of Christmas. I unfortunately did have to work but at least it was on a laptop at at kitchen table that I could easily power off and immediately be with the fam.

I used Monday and Tuesday to make cookies with the kiddos, play board games, watch movies, and when everyone was asleep go through my room and donate/pack-up or toss whatever I had in prep for my parents move. It was an interesting experience to rate on a scale of "archivable to trashable" the things I'd accumulated throughout my life. Items that were once in the former are now in the latter and you wonder if you're making a mistake! I of course chatted with M many a time throughout the day and was kept apprised at his (bless him) efforts to take Shannon's sick bird to the vet ... for those efforts he officially got to name him Waddles aka Rosie. ha!

It is such a joy to watch my nieces and nephews open their Christmas presents, try to play with them all simultaneously (and I of course was a little sad remembering the year before when M played video games with Beckham and Clancey for hours. They looooved him!) and enjoy the extra spunk they carry around from lack of sleep, over excitement and everything in between. It gave my excitement to go to the Dominican Republic the same small twinge as when I left M at the airport for the holidays.