It really is a wonderful life!

Check this out...it's our youngest granddaughter, Kara, sleeping on the Santa blanket. Isn't she adorable? I mean really - what a face!! Look at those cheeks. And that hair. And that little nose and precious little hands. Ahhhhhh, how can I explain the absolute joy of seeing her for the very first time in person? Oh I know just the word...magical.
I have more pictures, of course, but they're on my other camera and the cord to download my other camera is currently MIA. I'm sure I'll run across it eventually and then I will bombard you all with many more pictures of this little beauty (and her mom!).
In the meantime, here's a picture of me and my youngest. Yesterday was Jake's 17th birthday. (sigh) Can't believe it was 17 years ago when we met him for the very first time. Has it really been that long? Sheesh.

Now for the next 3 weeks, we'll have two 17 year olds in the house. Kaleb and Jacob are "Irish twins"...they're 11 months and 9 days apart. It's actually pretty cool having kids that close in age. Well, it's cool now. Back when they were both in diapers, "cool" isn't the word I would have used to describe the situation. lol

Adding to my absolute joy and happiness during this wonderful holiday season, my oldest son Nick is home from Okinawa!!!! I'm so dang happy about this that I could just burst!! Look at him:

Isn't he perfect? Oh, I'm sorry - ya'll didn't know that I had perfect children, did you? Well, it's true...all four of them are simply spectacular perfection. At least for this one month of their lives. LOL And once Nick's perfect wife, Jodie, and my perfect granddaughters, Maddy and Kara, return to Texas from Florida, I'll have my perfect family all together for this glorious holiday season. I've already scheduled a session at a photo studio to have our picture taken - all our kids and all our grandkids and Randey and me - together at last! I'm not usually real big on the whole picture taking thing (if it includes me in the photos, that is), but this is special.

Anywho - before all this excitement of Jake's birthday and of seeing Nick and Jodie and Kara, I spent a couple of days wrapping gifts. I wrapped and I wrapped and I wrapped. And then I wrapped some more.

I've decided that wrapping is my least favorite part of the Christmas fun. Well, it's not so much the wrapping as it is the decorating of the packages. I was a bit overwhelmed this year so I kind of cheated. I used some old decorations from years past (like the little wreath pictured on the red and white striped picture above), but for the most part, I did just basic tied bows. So much for getting fancy this year, eh? I guess it doesn't really matter - little Skye and Maddy Moose won't care that Granny didn't attach Rudolph candy canes and sleigh bells to all the packages...they think all the glitter and shine is eye-candy enough. And I think looking at their sweet little faces as they gaze at the Christmas decorations with such wonder is eye-candy enough for me.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

I almost forgot - here's a little shout out to Charlotte back in my home state -

GO OU!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)