It's the Holiday Season...

...or...ahem...was several weeks ago.

Christmas this year was a low-key, relaxing time in our house.  Last year, with it being the first year we had lived in our current home, we went all out.  The decorations were perfect and shiny and new, they came together just so and we rejoiced in the beauty of our home.  This year we decorated, but tried some different things and just couldn't achieve "the look" no matter how we arranged....and rearranged....and rerearranged....

Even with so-so decor and a distinct lack of snow, we enjoyed our time off.   This was the first year Libby really understood the whole Santa thing, so we played it up!  Who knows if our big girl will still be a believer next year...*sniff*

We also managed some short day trips to area attractions.  We made our first visit to the beautiful Shaker Village.  WOW!  It is worth it for the drive alone.  The tiny town was decked with boughs of...evergreens and plenty of red bows.  They even had a horse drawn carriage to cart visitors up and down the main drag.


The simplicity of the Shaker homes really soothed our souls, as did the rolling hills and towering, leafless trees.

Christmas day itself played out in a flurry of colorful paper and exclamations over new toys (for the kids).  Our big "Christmas present" had arrived in August and was hot and bubbling in the backyard.  And let me tell you, what a fun tradition to soak in a hot tub on Christmas Eve, long after kids are dreaming of sugarplums.

The night before Christmas....

We tracked Santa on NORAD!

Nana and Plap plap joined us for a Christmas ham dinner, then left the next day to take Anna back to Pennsylvania for a week visit.

While she was gone Earl and I took the opportunity to paint and decorate Libby's new "big girl" room.  I had spent weeks searching stores in person and online for the perfect bedding set, paint, and decorating ideas.  I had mistakenly believed that my very-particular-about-bedtime-girl would need wooed into a new bed, in a new room.  Nope.  Long before we even started moving junk out of the guestroom Libby decided she was going to sleep there.  And she did.  Still, I think her room came out perfect.  When it is completely done I'll post photos.
Getting Anna back to Kentucky was the biggest adventure we need for awhile.  Let's just say, in all of the many, many miles we spend on the road, we've been blessed to never get hit by the stomach flu.....or a treacherous icy conditions.  Until January, when Earl hit unexpected ice and snow, and Anna was hit by a nasty virus.  A 6 hour trip took about 12 hours, but they made it home safe and sound.  And I must say I thoroughly enjoyed a sick day to snuggle up on the couch with my Annagirl.

It's hard to believe we are already a full week into February!