Today’s my Come Out of the Burrow Day, a Groundhog Day-like experience where–dazed from my Christmas trance–I hobble out, tripping on a twinkly light strand or two, look to see if my Christmas shadow is still present and, upon its disappearance (let’s call it slight fading, shall we), choose to reenter the world with nostalgia for the past week and excitement for the new coming year.
Down in the burrow this past week, we celebrated the holidays with family, food, songs and movies and enough twinkle to light up the town.
It began on Christmas Eve–our own candlelight service accompanied by printed song sheets for selected favorite carols. I envisioned a soft Silent Night, Oh Christmas Tree, Joy to the World. But upon the first notes of Silent Night, Lainey jumped in–“No! No! Not that one. Mr. Grinch. We have to sing Mr. Grinch.” So, gathered on the floor of our living room and surrounded by the soft glow of candles and the beauty of the season, we sang together the tear-jerking lyrics: “You’re a nasty wasty skunk. Your heart is full of unwashed socks” It was beautiful, I tell you.
Okay, we followed with Silent Night.
And Roll the Snowman game.
More Christmas moments…
I went to sleep at 2 a.m. on Christmas morning and woke up four hours later because I was too excited. That hour of being awake alone was pretty special. I make all sorts of mental notes about how thankful I am for family and home and comforts and motherhood and this little holiday window where babies and kids bring extra magic.
And if they don’t wake up soon enough, I get very loud when I pour my second cup of coffee.
They woke up, excited, ready, happy.
Investigating all the Santa evidence…
My dad and Gary stayed up until 2 as well at their place, putting together a dollhouse for the girls. We “forgot” to build it (and had a hard time finding a place to work on it where the kids wouldn’t see it), so grandpas did what grandpas do. They covered for us. Brett and I laughed hard every time my dad called telling us how many hours he had clocked on it and what the shingle count was for hand-staining and gluing. But their faces when they saw it. Worth every damn shingle.
We make the mistake every year of finding the loudest toy imaginable. Family Band is…um…peaceful.
Dash thinks Austyn’s Santa hat is hilarious.
Hoping everyone had a wonderful holiday and continue to enjoy your burrow this week. More movies, more games, more adventures, more candles. No matter how quickly Target clears out their clearance wreath aisle, we take all that we’ve been filled up with this month and fold it into these next weeks and the coming year. We create our own holidays everyday with special moments, and we look forward to the ones that await.
Kelle,
Wishing you & yours a very happy new year! Have fallen way behind on blog reading… three kids & two businesses fill my days (& nights!). Loving this burrow time to catch up & savor before jumping back in next week.
Big x&o!
Kate (KWQR)
Lovely post. I burrowed, too, this week. Haven’t left my house since Christmas Day & I loved every second of it. Tomorrow it’s back to work but it was heavenly while it lasted.
Everything is still twinkling in my house as I prepare to host a New Year’s Day Brunch. By next weekend it will all be tucked away until the holidays come around again. I love closing out the old year & welcoming the new. Glad your holiday was magical, as it should be!
Please share where you found the ice cream truck and knitted lights! So fun!
Wonderful post. Enjoying the sense of time suspended here also. Happy New Year to you and yours x
This made me so emotional for some reason. I am sad to see the holiday go too , I guess 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your special moments and your beautiful words. This post is perfect! Christmas is so very magical at your house. It’s hard not to get caught up in the dream. Thanks for that!!! xo
We have that Melissa and Doug ice cream set and love it but what’s the story on the ICE CREAM TRUCK!?!?! Amazing. And was keeping updated on the doll house via instagram. Awesome. Your dad and gary and amazing.
love you friend & always love how you love the ones you’re with
xo
Dash is so cute laughing at his brothers hat…precious!
Beautiful pictures and family! Wishing a very Happy 2015. Evelyne.
I love seeing your holidays. That ice cream truck is pretty cute. Hope you show us the doll house. Our Mabel got onetoo. It was her moms that was never finished. Mabel is five. I made her peg dolls for her house. So much. Cute picture of the littles with the bigs. Happy holidays.
Love seeing what you do, how much effort you put in to things. Where do you get all your energy from?? What beautiful memories for the kids, the big and little ones. Best wishes for a wonderful 2015 – safe, healthy, happy, and in a world that is safe a peaceful too xx
My family all gathers at my maternal grandparents’ house every Christmas Eve and we all sing carols from printed packets. Kind of skipping around and without a piano. We’ve done it my entire life and I wouldn’t change it ever. That said, when I have my own kids, I want to do some candlelit caroling at home too. It’s just such a sweet thing. I love your photos and the things your family does (the Snowman game, and reindeer driveway thing). Those are so amazing and the kids will remember them all of their lives!
What a great post! The ice cream truck! Love it! What an awesome idea.
Beautiful pictures! I’m so glad you had a magical Christmas!
I have no doubt that Christmas at your house is magical. Best wishes to you and your family for a happy and blessed 2015.
I want to see the dollhouse!!! Your pops and Gary always come up with amazing gifts!
Austyn and Brenden (spelled right?) are SO OLD! Oh, how I’ve love growing my babies (ages 6 & 2)along with yours.
I do hope your New Years funk has passed, though we do all get into those.
Beautiful children, Kelle… Thank you for sharing your unicorn (and unicorn poop) moments with us all.
Beautiful post as always! DO you have any tips for getting such amazing night photos? Since the beginning, yours capture that warm glow and the beautiful faces of your family without being overly lit, contrasty/shadowy, grainy, or red. How do you achieve this or is it all in the camera?