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December Daily -- day 25

The big day. I woke up way too early... and wouldn't you know it, Ches was awake too. We spent the day watching movies, eating a nice big meal and the kids and I read a lot. A quiet, relaxing holiday.

December Daily -- day 24

Christmas Eve has traditionally been our day to spend with my parents. We arrived after my sister and her girls, who were anxiously awaiting Chesney. The three younger girls pretty much disappeared for the rest of the day. The afternoon was filled with preparations. The evening was Candlelight Service, soup buffet and opening gifts. 

December Daily -- day 23

Our family usually celebrates Christmas on the 23rd. I call it Festivus, but I do like the Christmas Adam that I heard this year. (The 23rd is Christmas Adam because Adam comes before Eve.) Whatever you call it, we have a little ritual... 

Breakfast is Cracker Barrel (or sometimes I make it at home... we went out this year). Came home and opened gifts. Made enchiladas for lunch. Watched a ton of movies and TV shows (our gifts included the boxed sets of Jurassic Park and the classic Star Wars movies, plus seasons of Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist and Modern Family). Relaxed. Enjoyed.

December Daily -- days 19, 20, 21, and 22

Final days of work before Christmas. Lots of everyday stuff here.

Merry Christmas to All...

Merry Christmas to all my blog readers. Today my family is celebrating our own little Christmas before travelling to visit extended family over the weekend. I hope you have a blessed holiday weekend. We will see you back here next week!

December Daily -- day 18

Sunday...

Playing with camera settings and having Chesney in the twinkle light picture. Sundays seem to be one photo days...

December Daily -- days 16 & 17

Friday was shopping day to prepare for Holiday Baking Day 2011. It deserves the capitalization, people. It is an event. We didn't do everything on our list. I lost steam somewhere around batch number 5. The sugar and gingerbread cookies are going to have to be made at Grandma's on Christmas Eve. I'm using my grandma's secret recipe for those (i.e. store bought dough) so it should be easy. Everything else was made from scratch with a lot of love and a little crankiness. Our freezer is full of goodies... for my parents, for my sister, for my in-laws. A tray went to my work earlier this week. And plenty for home, just in case we get snowed in for three weeks and there's a chocolate emergency.

December Daily -- days 14 & 15

By this point in my book, I've pretty much settled into a 4 picture a day routine... I do the journaling every evening before shutting down my computer. Photos are taken either on my iphone or with my camera, then either sent via email to my computer and renamed with the day of the week, or downloaded on Sunday and renamed with the day of the week. Then I just open each days photos with the 4 photo template and there ya go. Copy, paste, plop. Easy peasy.

December Daily -- days 12 & 13

The start of the school week for us...

And the answers are...

and... the freaky one...

Have a great weekend. It's holiday baking day here! I will probably be up to my ears in flour and sweetened condensed milk by the time you read this...

Last minute extra credit...

You're looking for a face that is not attached to the family featured in the picture. This one is easy... I found it without Brady's help.