Christmas Vacation

I know Christmas is long behind us, and this will be a short post. I just wanted to celebrate a great Christmas season and throw a few pictures and memories into the internet before I forget them all.

One thing you may notice as I put up pictures is that I cut my hair significantly shorter than it has ever been. It was growing out a little too fast and I wasn't ready to deal with long hair again. I guess it also doesn't hurt that I was hoping it would make me a little more memorable on the interviews.

Anyway, it was my first married Christmas and although it doesn't change everything, it did feel a little different. It was the first time decorating our space together for a holiday, so we set ourselves a strict budget - I'm terrified of becoming a Christmas hoarder. And then we bought a perfect apartment-size tree, lights and garlands, got out the nativity sets and the ornaments I've been getting each year my whole life and when we were done it looked like Christmas.

We also went on a date to a ballet school production of The Nutcracker at Lake Arrowhead, which was adorable and great.

Date nights!

As I mentioned in my residency travels post I wasn't actually home that much of December, but after most of the interviews were done and I was terribly exhausted, John met me in Oregon and we spent a luxurious 10 days of holiday joy with my family. 

The house I grew up in. I always liked the clouds, it made it seem like another world.

Baking with Emma

Awesome wrapping job. Also Shannon has a wicked awesome onesie.

Chaucer and Emma.

We walked Chaucer on the property when it wasn't raining.

Family Christmas.

I got out the clarinet I haven't played in at least 5 years and Shannon arranged us Carol of the Bells based on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra version that we all played for our church Christmas service. 

There was one day we watched Harry Potter 5-8. That's a lot of hours. A lot of knitting happened.

I don't have any pictures of our New Year's Eve and time with John's family in San Diego, but that was also really valuable. It was a very family oriented holiday and I really felt so blessed.

In the end we had to come back and return to real life, but by then we missed our friends a lot and it was exciting to return and see everyone. 

There's a lot to be thankful for. 

So Merry Super Belated Christmas and I hope your year is great so far.