Whilst at Mimi's house... I can be certain of one thing. She WILL be demanding photos from my hard drive.
She makes these really great hardback photobooks for each of the grandkids every year. A sort of summation of their year - using the software available in iPhoto... and has them printed via the Apple print shop. They are really quite QUITE cool - but she relies heavily on myself and my sister-in-law to provide her with a lot of the raw material.
Last year - with all the business photos I was responsible for spiffing up - the personal ones - well - they fell by the wayside a bit.
However, I'm determined to keep up this year. So yesterday I spent a fair amount of time going through my photos from the month of December... in order to copy a slew of them over to one of Meems' hard drives.
SO! Do you have coffee in hand? Tea perhaps? Bloody Mary maybe?
Well - if not - go grab a beverage then come back. I have lots to show ya.
Alrighty... we begin December with this little beauty.
Don't let the subtle tones of the above photo fool you - she's the fireball at the party.
This year we, finally tuning into more of what the "locals" do 'round here, found out there is a cut your own Christmas tree farm just a short drive from our house. We decided to give it a go.
Macho found himself a little Charlie Brown special...
And acted like he wanted to chop it - but then we reasoned it needed a little more time.
Instead - we hauled this little booger around awhile.
And then... we saw it.
The Grizwold family Christmas tree.
Some of us were in awe. Or, some of us didn't know what the hell was going on.
Macho was totally enthralled by all the busy busy going on after you haul your tree back to the big garage/barn. They shake it - and tie it up all in like 30 seconds and there are people and trees and wreaths everywhere... it was all very well organized. 
Then Clark got that baby up on the roof of the old front wheel drive sleigh and we were off! Yippee! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
In typical fashion - Clark handles the exterior... and me and my little elf handled the inside. We had a few goofs this year resulting in some broken ornaments. A few that were special... but that's just how it goes, I guess. I just loved that he was excited to do this with me. A small number of casualties in the "material" world seemed a decent price to pay.
He was so into it, in fact - that a girlfriend brought over a little "hand me down tree" that she used in her apartment last year - that she thought Macho would like. WELL... if he didnt think that was just the coolest thing. He kept sneaking out to the living room to steal ornaments for his tree.
Then it was time for a visit with Santa. We joined him for "Cookies & Cocoa with Santa" at our local YMCA. It's a rather low budget affair in terms of "set design" as you can see - but it's conveniently located across the street from our house and gets the job done! Woo hoo!
Plus - kids are oblivious to things like "set design." :)
I keep looking at that sign, thinking it says "Santy." Tee hee.
Then we had this playtime episode... Apparently, he was looking for something specific.
We also engaged in a lot of homemade craft & decor items this year... Glittery egg carton jingle bells, anyone?
Macho took part in his first preschool Christmas pageant. He did not headline the event. Just a chours girl this time. His day will come, I'm confident of that. 
Two weekends before Christmas, we traveled up to PA to visit my brother and sister-in-law and their kiddies for some early holiday fun. Mimi and Grandpa came too.
There was wrestling.
And runway modeling. Girl, your hair is fierce.
And construction of the floor laying variety. Yes, I pretty much pimp Clark out. Just call me if you need some handywork done. We'll work something out.
Beautiful cork floor, no?
Then, there were boys dressing themselves in what they insisted were weather appropriate clothes.
Eating snow.
Attempting to pick on the little guy.
And generally giving eachother a beat down.
Before coming inside and attempting (a lame attempt) at a civilized photo.
Yes... mine is the one acting like a diva.
Bunch of cooky people we are.
We do love eachother, though.
Just a few days before Christmas, my cousin, a Navy submariner who has been underway for the past 6 months was able to come home.
He was a sight for sore eyes!
Also, just days before the big day, we undertook some massive culinary projects.
Did you know if you crush up blue Jolly Rancher candies and then melt them in the oven - you can make water? We added the Sweedish/Goldfish for fun.
And just like that, Christmas Eve was upon us. Sweet kisses goodnight...
And a few carefully selected Christmas bedtime stories...
By roughly 3am (thanks to my procrastinating on wrapping the gifts, and assembly of large items) there was this...
Just for fun...
Random photography tip :: Did you know achieving bokeh like this is super easy? Just flip your camera/lens to manual focus and rotate your dial until you like what you see. Then click. That's it. :O)
Right now are some sweet sweet years for us. Macho was sooooo into it this year. His face was just priceless on Christmas morning. He just stared and stared at that perfect replica Polar Express train going around the tree.
Santa is super polite... he always leaves a thank you note for the milk and cookies. And congratulates the kids on being good... and gives them some tips for being even better next year! 
Those stockings were all knitted by my Grandma. Everyone in my family has one. At least - all the grandkids and great-grandkids (over 20 all together). They are super special.
I can't believe you are still reading this.
Hello?
Are you still there?
I'm sure you've more important things to do...
We're almost there.
WOO-HOO!
:) Betty Crocker.
Even at just one, she showed some signs of excitement.
Not nearly as much as this dude. But, still.
Betty... meet Ratatouille.
YAY!!! Christmas!
*This is the first and last time you'll be seeing me here in my bathrobe. Soak it up.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a little gathering together and feasting. So we did a little of that later that day...
My grammie with my baby. 82 years difference.
Special.
Special like a soldier getting to come home and see his three other brothers and having a beer with his dad.
Then began the week "in-between" - A.K.A. bathroom remodel week. Clark disappeared into the deep dark hole that is the ugly stepchild of our house floorplan, while I managed the kids.
Who, incidentally, rolled up their sleeves and got down and dirty with their new loot.
Fish kiss for moi? MMMMMM - kay.
Then finally, it was time to ring out the old year... so I pulled Clark out of his purgatory for a night... told him to shower up and take me to a party so we could have fun and I could act like a total bufoon.
I call this one... "Vanna White takes photo in bathroom at 1am."
Once again, I wish you a very Happy New Year.
Goodbye forever.
I'm never blogging again. This was the longest post in the history of mankind.
God help you if you are still here.
Seriously... go away.
I'm not even proofing this before I hit publish it's so bloody long.
Go
Awaaaaaaayyyy
Now.
:O)
Just kiddin'
