This blog's been sorely neglected this year, and certainly not for lack of content! But Christmas Day is a time set apart. Fleeting moments thick with love permeate this morning of surprise and wonder, and they beg to be captured here. Lorelei is 8. Gryffin is 6. There is both an ache and a joy in my heart, watching as they grow and change, but the magic, for now, still lingers.
They still hear the bell.
Welcome to our Casa Connelly Christmas.
The calm before the chaos. Not a creature was stirring, not even a bunny.
At least, not downstairs.
But upstairs, the kids in pajamas were waiting restlessly at top step, singing carols as per our tradition, waiting for the Christ Child to arrive.
(Here's Gryffin, pretending to be Baby Jesus.)
"Jingle Bells, Batman smells…"
Waiting… how long will the manger remain empty?
It's time!
Jesus' arrival signaled the end of caroling and the mad dash downstairs!
It was all Legos for Gryffin, American Girl Doll for Lorelei.
Let's take in the joy on their faces, shall we?
Gryffin's favorite present… Lego Ninjago.
Lorelei's big present… a new outfit and hair extensions for Rebecca.
… and matching pajamas from Santa.
Love them so!
They're way into rocks and minerals this year. Pretty thrilled with stocking stuffers from the museum.
And Mr. Dietrich Bonhoepper was not forgotten.
He looks like he had a rough night--Santa and the elves must have kept him up.
Bunny's got his own stocking.
I got lazy this year. Our traditional strata didn't sound good, so we went with a Trader Joe's pastry.
Looks like a baked octopus. I hear seafood's all the rage on Christmas morning in Europe.
Mark got me a "Windy Loo-Poo" stocking stuffer by Poo-pourri. Nice.
This is what happens when we try for a serious family pic.
Merry Christmas 2014, and God bless us, everyone!
(Now off to assemble some Lego starships…)
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