December 2015…

 

this was our first year with our new tree Wilbur. poor little Fred was our tree for 10 years & this year, he didn’t make it. we are looking up tips on how to take care of Wilbur & see that he thrives. he is such a pretty little tree…

grammy got Sophia a special little tree to have in her room. seeing her excitement for the holidays I think, makes us all a little more excited. her joy is genuine. it comes from way down deep inside of her & you can feel it. she just radiates joy & this time of year especially. she gets me thru the tough moments. her love for Christmas music is a bit much for me I have to admit. I do like Christmas music, it just makes me sad. makes me long for days gone bye. but, to see how happy it makes her, I listen & I sing with her. at night when we are cooking. in the morning when we are just waking up. when we are driving. so pretty much all the time, she wants Christmas music. sometimes I cry & she says “don’t be sad mama, I wove you” & I laugh. & she hugs me & then we sing more Christmas songs…

I got the beginnings of my gifts for grandparents. I am so excited about these…

beautiful December sunrises…

impromptu Christmas crafts…

her Christmas masterpieces…

this year my niece Alyssa tried out for the Omaha ballet production of the Nutcracker. and she made it!! what an exciting night for her & for all of us to get to see her on the Orpheum stage. so proud of you sweet Alyssa…

Sophia has never been to see santa & this year was the year!! we went with grammy to Laurintzen gardens, got to meet santa, walk thru the beautiful gardens & make some fun Christmas crafts. what a beautiful place to go & meet santa…

she was definitely a little nervous at first…

my girls…

the many faces of Sophia on a cold December day. love her…

we got to celebrate Christmas with meme & papa & molly the Monday before Christmas. perfect…

and 2 nights later we got to celebrate with aunt Karen & kimi & Julia & nick & Claudia & the kids & of course, make wreathes…

the little girls love aunt Karen’s little hiding spot…

the next day, Christmas eve, we got snow!!!!

unfortunately, we got so much snow that our annual Gomez Christmas eve party was cancelled. it feels weird to not go to uncle danny’s for Christmas eve. so, the girls & I went to church at 3:30 after playing in the snow & on the way home we stopped in real quick & just said hi & merry Christmas to uncle danny.

since we were all going to be home we decided to have our annual crab leg dinner that night. we all look forward to this night & I think this is our 6th. year doing it!! love our crab leg dinner, we always laugh the whole time. take each other’s crab. eat too much. & love every second of it…

Sophia & I had read quite a few Christmas books this year & each one showed leaving cookies for santa, which we always do, but then, they also showed leaving carrots for the reindeer & Sophia was super excited about that…

as soon as Sophia went to bed, santa got to work! this is the part I love. with all of them. of course with Sophia because she is so into the magic of Christmas but, with all of them. they make Christmas special to me. they make it so I can even get thru Christmas. they make it so I still feel that excitement & that wonder & that magic…

Christmas morning.

the pictures aren’t that great but really, it doesn’t even matter. it is all about the feeling & these pictures give me “that” feeling”…

merry Christmas.

I even got everyone out into the snow for some pictures & a little snow ball fight!!!

a Christmas miracle…

and a happy new year…