So far, we’ve had two Christmases. One on Wednesday morning at home with Santa and Nana and Pop Pop.  Then, again on Friday night as we celebrated with all of my in-laws. Soon we will travel to Tennessee to visit my mom and sister and wrap up the 2013 holiday season.  Now that we are to this point in the season, I’m happy and feel relaxed.  But I found the holiday season particularly overwhelming and stressful this year.  I was overcome with my emotions from missing my dad for a few days and the slightest thing would send me into a mess of tears and snot.  I think this was just the proverbial straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back this year, as it peaked around his birthday on December 19th.  It just seemed that there was not enough time or energy to get everything done.  I felt like there was a weight or cloud over me that I just couldn’t shake.  But we got everything done that needed to be done and in the end, it was worth it and I started feeling more like myself again. Sometimes you just have to realize that things you once prioritized are no longer important. This year I did good just to get the presents wrapped before Christmas;  they sure didn’t have pretty ribbon bows like they have in years past.  Oh. Well.  I don’t think the recipients appreciated them any less, right?

Here are a few pictures from our first two Christmases.