The Baldwins: Lazy Blogger and Christmas

Okay, so I'm finally posting my pictures and stories about Christmas! In my defense, I am posting this blog while surrounded by laundry to be folded, recipes to be organized, and while watching the first season of "24." Whew - I'm not sure I do anything without multitasking, except maybe sleeping and bathroom activities. (Those are not things to be done while, say, texting or making a phone call. Business only.) Anyways....

Christmas was wonderful! Kenny and I were so happy and grateful to be able to go home for Christmas, if only for about five days. And what a great time it was! We crammed in as many opportunities for fun and family as we could, and every day at home was terrific. We started off the Christmas festivities by having gingerbread and opening presents at Megan and Karl's, and both the dessert and the company were fantastic. Camryn proudly showed us her new big-girl wicker chair, her pony, and her froggy, and Uncle Kenny added to her delight by playing cowboys and cowgirls with her. It was tough to leave such a cheery, merry home, but we wanted to let the Taylors have as much time to sleep as we could let them because they had generously agreed to take us to the airport the next morning.

"Look at my new chair, Uncle Kenny!"

Conquering the wild west on her trusty steed....er, frog.

SO excited about her Christmas present from Uncle Kenny's mom and dad - a new boom box!

Mom and Jim met us curbside at PDX the next morning and whisked us off to Northwest Portland for a slice or two of Escape From New York pizza, then we shopped in the eclectic NW 23rd stores that make Portland so unique. We then wended our way home to greet the waiting kitties and rest up for a dinner at Claim Jumper, the restaurant where our family had celebrated the night before our wedding. Kenny specifically wanted to go back to Claim Jumper to relive the memories of our wedding. I also think the nine-layer chocolate cake had something to do with his request, although our dinners were too big to allow for dessert!

Christmas Eve Kenny and I celebrated with Dad over a delicious roast, sweet potatoes, salad, and as much sparkling cider as we could drink. His cat Maisie was extremely interested in both the roast and Kenny, who was practically mauled by her in her enthusiasm to meet him, while Basil the schnauzer was almost overcome by the new visitors and the festivities. We listened to our favorite Christmas music and Dad's brand new copy of "The Cinnamon Bear," his favorite childhood Christmas radio program, a gift from Megan, Karl, and Camryn. Dad and I then headed out into Oregon wine country for Midnight Mass at the Trappist Abbey while Ken, not a night owl, went back to Mom and Jim's for bed.

We filled the remainder of our Christmas vacation with bowling, board games, movies, shopping at Bridgeport Village, snuggling with the kitties (with whom Kenny was a major hit), and eating too many of Mom's Christmas cookies. It was so hard to leave Oregon to come back to Utah, but we were so happy to be home to celebrate the birth of the Savior with the most important part of our lives - our family.

Christmas with Dad!