It Seems to End So Quickly....

Christmas does, that is.  I find between the natural slowdown of my metabolism in winter, plus the necessity of Christmas logistical planning, really reduces the actual amount of time I can totally just sit back and enjoy the season. 

Hence, here we are at Epiphany, and our Xmas tree is still up.  (I believe it is traditional to leave it till Epiphany in some households)  It's January and I still want to sing Christmas carols.  Fortunately, my boys are off of school this week (the payoff for having to wait until Dec. 23 for their holidays), and the Christmas spirit lingers on in the house. 

And for some photos from the holiday...

Evie and her cousin Izzy at the extended family gathering.

Bob and the boys.

Evie getting a little help from cousins Izzy and August.

A rare shot of The Three together.

Our little Christmas Princess.  (Oh my is it fun to dress her up!).



Autism managed to sneak it's way into our Christmas again this year.  As a young child, it was a huge part...Sean wouldn't join us for Christmas morning gift opening, preferring to be off by himself.  In later years, he'd come out, but wouldn't open any of his gifts (drove his brother nuts!).  Last year he seemed to enjoy opening gifts and participating. 

This year he was back to leaving the gifts unopened and heading off on his own for periods of time.  I'm not sure what goes on with him then, but as long as he is happy, we can't complain.  One can try to cajole and entice, but he will have none of it. 

Lately, since I've moved some furniture around, his favorite place in the living room is behind the couch, on a warm radiator.  Here he could observe us, eat his gluten-free offerings from his stocking, and take stock of the world outside through the window.  He did come out to see the gifts that were "accidentally" opened.  ("Oh dear, this one fell over and everything came out of the bag"), and even played with a few things.  The Spirograph-type set (they call it a Hypotrochoid Art Set now) went over well, as did a pad of paper and markers, as usual.  He got excited about the candlemaking kit (gee, a lot of things fell over didn't they?), and then that was enough of the trickery, until after New Years, when he chose to open most everything.  As I write, there is still one unopened gift from Skyler, and I suspect it is merely a ploy to irritate the big brother.  Mind you, that was the gift that Sky decided to wrap up in toilet paper, as he was too busy he says, to go find proper wrapping paper.  So there it sits, under an increasing pile of evergreen needles....