Today I’m joining in the collective, exhausted sigh of relief from parents everywhere as Christmas is finally over! :) We did it! Presents were wrapped, meals were cooked, Christmas dreams were fulfilled, joy was spread and giggles of glee were heard…and now we can all sleep!

Last year Ryan and I swore we were going to minimize the madness (with two families that live in-town, our holidays are always a little complicated), but somehow we managed to do MORE this year. Hmmm. How does that always seem to happen? Christmas Eve we had brunch with my family at my parents’ favorite Italian restaurant, caroled with some friends at dusk and then ate dinner at Ryan’s brother’s home. Christmas Day we opened gifts with just the three of us, hosted both families for brunch and then ate dinner at Ryan’s mother’s house. And then we collapsed from exhaustion! ;) Regardless, it was a great season here at Amityville filled with wonder: E.V. learned to say “Santa” and “Ho Ho Ho;” we saw Rudolph in real life (or so E.V. thinks, even though it might have just been a deer in our yard); and — my favorite moment of all — Ryan surprised both Emma Vance and I with a FaceTime from Santa himself while we read the Christmas story at bedtime. Do I have the best husband ever or what?!? I’ll be cherishing those small, sweet moments from this holiday until next year when we SWEAR we’re going to minimize and relax more! :)

Finally I can say it and believe it–and to all a good night!

Here’s about a million-bajillion pictures to immortalize Christmas Day… ;)