a merry little christmas 2015

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This year's loot

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That black & white polka dot paper? Yeah, I screenprinted that. *flexes giant muscles*

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Pretty Livvy

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My niece Catherine's first year as official present distributor

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Tommy's mom is way more excited than Tommy is about his present

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Fact: Doodles love Christmas

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Ellie got a new toy for Christmas, which will hopefully replace the slippers she usually steals carries around the house

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My first year not waking up early enough to look presentable = the only photo you get of me

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We realized halfway through the morning that Meredith had the whole couch all to herself, covered in presents.

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A man & his Han Solo socks

There are 13 photos in this post, which are the 13 photos that we took via camera on our trip back to Southern VA for Christmas. This is in addition to the solid 4 non-selfie photos that I took on my phone. I spent most of our Christmas break with my phone left in my purse. The camera off. The out-of-office email response up. 

& it was great.

2015 was so. much. I'm only really able to see that right in the moment -- today, the last day of the year. Before I started to write this post, I went back in my previous Christmas Day posts just to revisit formatting, etc., & was instead left in tears when greeted by images of my grandparents enjoying Christmas with us the past two years. It was our first year without grandpa drinking his multiple cups of coffee & observing the Christmas morning shenanigans from a safe distance with a smile on his face. My grandmother's health is touch & go, & she spent this year unable to leave the rehab facility that she was temporarily moved to after a scary week of tests & ER visits. It's hard. It's sad.

So, we spent this Christmas being present. Soaking up moments, staying up WAY too late every night, holding onto babies & visiting my grandma every chance we got. We were missing grandpa but overjoyed to be joined by 3 month old Olivia. Happy to have a chance to catch up & laugh with Jared's parents & the siblings that made it in town for Christmas. 

Other honorable mentions: listening to the Hamilton soundtrack nonstop (OBSESSED) & seeing Star Wars for the 2nd time in Imax 3D. 

I have to get ready for work, but just wanted to pop in to put these up while it's still 2015. Happy New Years Eve to you all! I'll be back!