Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
Thanks to all who visited my blog during my bloggy break, especially to those who dropped holiday greetings and comments! To all my friends and family out there, especially those who follows this blog, have a great 2009!
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Matthew’s Christmas Tree
Photos taken Dec. 21, 2008 |
We spent the Christmas Holiday in Florida. (Hence the bloggy break.) We had a great week there with hubby’s family. It has been years since hubby and 2 sibliings were together. (He was the one always missing.) My in-laws can’t be happier about this grand reunion. All the grandchildren with Matthew as the youngest were around too.
We were the first family to arrive and the first task was to put up Matthew’s own Christmas tree. I thought it was a great idea that Mother-IL got him his own Christmas tree to prevent him from messing playing around the big Christmas tree with very delicate and sentimental ornaments. So everytime he comes around the big Christmas tree, everyone would ask him to stay away from Grandma’s tree and directed him to his own Christmas tree, which he delightedly obeyed (most of the time).
I am pleased that my energetic 2-year-old Matthew really did good with regards to damages. He didn’t break any ornament or caused any major damages until our last night in Florida when he took the candy bowl from the counter and dropped it while walking away with it. It’s one of those Christmas themed glasswares that his Grandma have had through the years. However in perspective, for an energetic 2-year old, the damage wasn’t a big deal according to Mom-IL, which I agree!
So our Christmas was almost a week long celebration composed of Karaoke singing, drinking and a lot of cooking, eating and a whole lot of picture taking. (Click the photo to enlarge the photo.)
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Left Photo taken on taken Dec. 22, 2008
Right Photo taken on Dec. 25, 2008
Did I mention there was Karaoke?! We brought our old MagicSing, which is a little deffective since Matthew dropped the microphone. On Christmas Eve, the new model of MagicSing arrived thru UPS. It’s hubby’s Christmas gift for me. I had been hinting that I wanted a new karaoke machine. And hubby never fails!
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Christmas Gifts, Photo taken Dec. 24, 3008
These are all the gifts for 12 people. There are mostly for the grandchildren. The biggest on the left is for Matthew from Grandpa and Grandma – a John Deere tractor.
The smallest gift under the Christmas tree is for me from hubby. It’s unexpected because I thought I got my gift already – the MagicSing that came early. And it took me sometime to get over my shock after I unwrapped the gift. It’s a diamond earring! Apparently, hubby got the diamond earring after not finding the karaoke machine anywhere. He thought the earring will be a great substitute but he didn’t settle. Even after getting the earrings, he went online to buy the MagicSing and ordered it to be sent thru UPS next day shipping! Not too practical I know, but I can’t be more grateful! Like I mentioned earlier – he never fails to amaze me!
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Christmas Morning, Photos taken on Dec. 25, 2008
On Christmas morning, Matthew needed help waking up! He had a rough time the night before! He has seen the gift being set up the night before and he couldn’t settle going to bed!
Everyone is on their own opening presents, well except for Matthew who can only rip the wrappings but couldn’t remove the toys off their boxes, but Daddy is always to the rescue. Those darn toys are always well fastened to their packaging!
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Christmas Day Party, Photo taken Dec. 25, 3008
This is one of those funny photos that I took. Being busy running around and getting through the festivities, it is hard to get these three siblings together. So this is a rare photo opportunity. However, while Tom is looking nice in this photo, his older brother Mike and older sister Sheila can’t help themselves from clowning about.
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Christmas Day party, Photos taken on Dec. 25, 2008
Believe me or not, out of the more-than-300 photos taken during the entire week, there are only 6 photos that included me on it! These are 2 of them.
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Morning after Christmas Day, Photos taken on Dec. 26, 2008
It took a long time to charge the batteries for Matthew’s new tractor, courtesy of Grandpa and Grandma. So Matthew was able to ride it the morning after Christmas day. After tryng to drive it, well, let me say – he needs more getting used to drying it himself. Maybe in a few months, he will be able to get used to it and he will be more able to control the accelerator! In the meantime he enjoys riding at the trailer-wagon.
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We’ve been back since Sunday but putting down the Christmas decorations, home repair, organization and general cleaning, laundry and other chores took priority. Just so for a great start to 2009.
Last night, for new year’s eve dinner, I made my very own home-made pizza. It’s overloading with peperoni and mushroom just like how hubby wants it. And we had quiet time welcoming the new year over a marathon of Battlestar Galactica.
