Where the green grass grows: That's a wrap!

I can't believe that Christmas has once again come and gone.

I swear it feels like Summer just ended, the kids were just going back to school, and now here we are, the day after Christmas, left to ponder just where in the heck this year has gone.

It's almost 2012!

Before we get there, though, I'd like to take a few moments and remember the sweetness of this Christmas season. It went fast, but it was still pretty great.

Although I don't have a single picture prior to Christmas Eve {I left my camera at my cousin's house and didn't even realize it until a week later, which obviously means I wouldn't have taken too many pics anyway...} I still want to remember everything that led up to it.

So, here's a little list of some of the fun things we did to make this Christmas a special one...

a Christmas Parade

Matt and Taylor cut down our tree this year by themselves {I was home sick} and came home with the biggest, most beautiful tree!

Christmas crafts in our jammies

baking Christmas cookies

family parties

Christmas cards

a neighborhood ugly sweater party

taking a detour to peek at pretty Christmas-y neighborhoods

shopping for loved ones

Christmas Scentsy

so much good food

a weeknight "Santa" shopping date

dressing up

Taylor's first time on Santa's lap {I was so proud!}

wrapping 'til the wee hours

hiding gifts in every closet and in my parents' garage

watching Christmas movies snuggled on the couch

singing Christmas carols in the car and before bedtime

listening to Taylor make up her own Christmas songs...hilarious!

enjoying the beautiful glow of our Christmas tree when the lights are turned down

sipping peppermint hot chocolate

saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone we greet

Christmas Eve mass at church...my favorite

after church, spending Christmas Eve with my favorite people

leaving cookies, milk and reindeer food {made at preschool} for Santa

waiting for a sleepy little girl to wake up on Christmas morning...Matt and I were both up before her! She finally decided to get the party started at 930am!

seeing the joy on her face and feeling her excitement...there's just nothing better

spending the morning playing Barbie's

"Merry Christmas" via Skype to our Wisconsin family {love Skype!}

Grandma and Papa Clause arrive...good grief, they filled up our living room!

a houseful of family for a delicious feast

giggles and squeals

playing fun new games and laughing til we cried

cheering the Packers to another victory

Matt's homemade hot fudge over ice cream and cookies

the clean-up...which wasn't bad at all

a few last Christmas snuggles on the couch after a long and lovely day

kissing my hubby and sweet girl goodnight, with so much love and joy in my heart♥