I really enjoy the new updated flickr app. Ben is rolling his eyes at me for using their auto-filters, but I don't care.  I like them!

[Video originally hosted on Flickr]

[Video originally hosted on Flickr]

After working through both Christmas Eve and Day, I was able to celebrate Christmas.  On the night of the 25th we went to Ben's family's get-together of aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It was so nice to be out with folk, eating turkey and gravy, and opening presents for the kids.  I was on call, but luckily nothing came up.

Bright and early the next morning we packed boy and dog and presents in the car to go over the river and through the woods.  My other siblings arrived later that evening, and family was finally all together.  We even had more snow falling.  It finally felt like Christmas Eve.

This morning we opened presents!  I'm typing on my new macbook and LOVING it.  My old laptop had been on life support for most of this year.  We were all thoroughly spoiled.  Jack ate a chocolate wrench for breakfast.  We spent the rest of the day fiddling with new devices, quietly entertained and enjoying each others company.

Jack received a splendid array of things good for boys - toys, books, toothbrush, candy, and clothes.  He went sledding both today and yesterday and LOVES it.  (Photos will be in another post.)  Ben and I gave him a camera for Christmas.  He went nuts with it!  Immediately starting snapping pictures of everyone and everything.  I'm going to keep his photos on my flickr account for sharing.  The only editing I did was deleting duplicates and super super blurry pictures.  Instead of reviewing the scattered few I took today, please enjoy Christmas from Jack's point of view!  The full set is here, but my favorites are below.

Finished!

Today Jack and I made a "engine" (gingerbread) house for an "engine" (gingerbread) man.  The man was quickly eaten by a giant named Jack.  He also gobbled up more decorations than he put on the house.  So I enjoyed myself with the decorating.

I laughed to see that Ikea included diagrams for this kit, just like a bookcase.







He tired of helping with my toffee tile pattern and decided the make gumdrops sprout out of the roof instead.




For reasons I can't understand, he insisted on stuffing the chimney with candy.


Engine man meets his end.

My side:

Jack's side:

A coworker confirmed my suspicion that nannies are the WORST when it comes to spoiling kids.  Look at this last week.  Every day she gave him a present.  First a book.

Then a truck set.

 Then a KITCHEN PLAYSET.























He loves it and loves her.  She took him out to all his favorite places last week.  Even took him to see Santa!

The Culprit:


(The truth is, we love her.)

And it's only December 21.

I'm working the 24th and 25th.  We are having Christmas dinner with Ben's extended family.  Then Christmas with the Waterhouses.  Then Christmas with the Masons.  The festivities will go through January.  How much more can Jack take?  A lot, I think, and it's a good thing.  Because there's a lot more spoiling to come.

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