Backing it up - Christmas

I've tried to start this post only to hit backspace more times than I care to count. For the most part, I just kind of want to forget Christmas 2011. But its part of our family history now, and regardless of how any of us feel about it, it feels wrong to not document it for Sully either.

It wasn't the same, this was painfully obviously. But we still did what we could to make the best of it. We spent New years Eve with Shaun's mom celebrating "Christmas Eve" at dinner and later at her house to exchange gifts.

We headed home and set up goodies for Santa and left out carrots for his reindeer. The following morning my family headed over for Christmas breakfast and gifts. We did our annual Christmas funny gift exchange. This year Dad got a Jesus Barbie (from Sam), Brandon pulled a Twilight board game (from Shaun), Shaun received a Armadillo Can Holder (from Dad), Mom got a shattered glass ball for her car (from Brandon who lost his original "Chair in a Pocket" gift), Sam picked a calendar of bearded men (from me) and I got a Snuggie (from my mom - jokes on you, I love it). Sully, as usual, was spoiled beyond and above what he needed. Sully's favorite gift though was a Buzz Lightyear life size action figure.

By the end of the morning my living room looked like somebody had come in a slaughtered Santa's workshop! (The gifts below under the tree were just OUR gifts for everyone. My parents brought over THREE TUBS of gifts. I know, they're insane.)

(The night before Shaun was to leave for Texas, we let Sully pick one gift from under the tree to open. He was so happy to get his Bumbalebee Transformer from Mommy & Daddy. It helped to keep him distracted while Daddy was gone for a week.)