The great Christmas of 2010

Could it have been a better Christmas?  Well technically, yes.  It could have snowed.  But that came 5 days later as the weird parts of Oregon even got snow (this includes the hometown).

But we took what we could.  A Christmas where Mr. Wookie joined my family, we had the nephew out of utero, and the parental units consider Baby Sister a legal drinker (we like this).

In all honesty, this will go down as a Christmas for the ages.

Let's introduce our traditions first.  You must model your present before you open it, and dispel who's the giver.  You may put down your 90% champagne/10% orange juice mimosa in order to accomplish this.  If you can do both, high five.  If you can do both while refilling my glass...double high five.

Wearing Beaver gear to Christmas, always a good idea.  Despite our inability to make a bowl game this year.

Presents are opened from youngest to oldest.  We go one person at a time.  And we clap after each present like we're witnessing the PGA tour (unless Little Man is napping, then we snap like it was Open Mic Night at the Poetry Garden).

One person is dedicated to holding Little Man so he doesn't take all the ornaments off the bottom 2 feet of tree, that he doesn't try to eat a bulb, and that he doesn't strangle himself with ribbon.  And also, he needs help with presents.  Dexterity's not there.

Gifts ranged from extremely useful (like new sneakers, kitchen bowls, cutting board, Beaver gear, and slippers) to ooooo-I-didn't-need-this-but-I-LOVE-it!

Here I am clapping for Dominos.

Unwrapping presents takes some time.  There's mini-stops for breakfast.  There's mini-stops for recycling breaks.  And there's mini-breaks for mimosas.  Okay, a few more than necessary.

No, really, we recycle everything.

This is one of those wasn't-on-the-Christmas-list-but-I-LOVE-it gifts.  We're talking heavy-duty polypropylene bags.  Love.  Thank you Brother and Amber!!

Then Little Man roused from his nap...

And was hungry (huh, sounds like a familiar redhead I know...)

Sometimes the ribbon on the damn box is so tight...you get a double-chin...but remember, I got sneakers for Christmas...so say goodbye to the double-chin.  Soon.

But then Mr. Wookie decides to one-up me to infinity and beyond...

He says he loves me.  He says he thinks of more ways to keep me in his life.  I think he's full of it.  I don't need a fancy camera for him to tell me he loves me.  But it was on my will-purchase-in-2011-with-my-tax-refund-money list.  So he jumped the gun.  I can't express how much this means to me.  He really went above and beyond what was necessary in making this Christmas worth it.  Handsome, you really are the best to me.  You shouldn't have.  But in all honesty, this is so awesome.  High five.  And now pose for me.  No more grumpy gilling for the camera.  It's big-boy camera time.