A California Christmas

Christmas 2016 -

Beck couldn't come up for the festivities.

Dad was off work nearly the whole time (which is very unusual for him).

The California sun kept throwing me off.

We had two family Christmases, one on Friday with Sarah, Brian, and the kids, and one on Saturday with Mom's brother and his family.

Sunday itself didn't feel particularly Christmas-y.  (But what does one do?)

And here is my random assortment of mostly-Christmas-related pictures -

Trying to bring a bit of festivity to the house.

It's Kai!

Toby is my little pal.

Kai loves cheesecake.  Like his daddy.

"Auntie, you're boring me!"

He was getting all sleepy listening to The Piano Guys (that's what we used to play before we put him down for a nap).

Mom and I were looking through old pictures my uncle brought over.  (That's Beck and I.)

Mom made her world-famous fried shrimp with lemon and capers for dinner one night while I was there.

He fell completely in love with capers.  Couldn't get enough of them.  (Seriously, what two-year-old loves capers?!)

I love how he's looking at her. :)

"Baby Ava so cute!  So cute!"

He loves to read.  And it's a good thing, because he got pretty much only books for Christmas!

When I ask Brian to take pictures for me because I'm holding the baby...

I'm pretty smitten with her.  So is Malachi.

"See baby Ava?  See baby Ava?"

"Hold baby Ava?"

"Baby Ava crying?"

Etc., etc.

They were my favorite part of Christmas -

Well, that and how Beck called the Thursday night after Christmas and said, "Funny story, I'm on your doorstep."

And there she was. :)