I am now looking back at my 2009 Christmas and I’m smiling. I need more than two hands and ten fingers to count the many blessings that surrounded me this holiday season, but there is one thing that I’m so crazy fortunate to have in my life.

My family. I don’t know where to begin. I am so LUCKY and BLESSED. I swear I must have done something good sometime in my life because I’m batting 100%, four for four.

It wasn’t about the presents under the tree although the inventive Santa in all of us will live forever (and be giving all year) and somehow still manages to top the previous year. It will always take us a couple hours to get through the maddening pile.

It wasn’t about the table full of wonderful food and dessert that filled us last night and will continue to fill us today. Although the dessert….oh the sweet goodness of baklava and food for the gods (thanks, J!!) and the turrones from Spain my sister brought and red velvet cookies. Everyone brought a dish to share ~ and everyone took home food.

It was the coming together of our families (mine and my best friend sister, my BFS) with hearts full of love, wanting to share joy and happiness, warmth, cozy comfy and hilariously funny moments. Together.

We were even blessed with the presence of my ex-husband and my ex-brother in law who will always be part of our family no matter what. So..we’re removing the ‘ex’ factor.

Joy and peace in it’s pure essence.

It was seeing Christmases past through the eyes of my children watching a 2 year old grasp the magic of the holiday, really for the first time. And a little baby lost in a pile of wrapped surprises. In blissful innocence.

Watching my 23yo son present Nate with the present that captured his imagination for hours. The big kid just had to tap in to his memories of Christmases past and know exactly what a two year old would love to have.

A hand sketched picture of Alyssa to go with my hand sketched picture of Nate.

A year long Creative Memories calendar with tons of photos that I took all year long. The time it took to put together under a deadline. I took over 6000 pictures since June. It was a job to sort through it all.

Handmade blow guns my hubby made for my nieces. Danger!!

My sister, the world traveler (for work) ~ who barely made it back in time for Christmas. Thoughtfully finding things in her travels for my children and babyGrands and reminding me where love is.

At home.