Christmas Review

Totally behind in the blogging, so I'm doing a whirlwind tour of the Hughes Zoo Christmas....

Christmas Eve at our house....

Grandma, Gigi, Uncle Ryan and Kristy.....


Presents literally engulfed our living room....




Lexy delighted in GIVING gifts more than RECEIVING (melted my heart)....


Ryan gave THE gift of the night-- a rocking horse that makes galloping sounds for Tori-- so cute!....


Both girls were a little under the weather with what we thought were "just colds." HA. When will we learn our lesson....

Tori had the barking cough of croup all night and I had to take her outside into the cold air twice in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. When she would settle and go back to sleep, I'd hear Lexy start crying for me. She was complaining of a sore throat and telling me that her ear hurt. I alternated between the two all night. Oh, the joys of motherhood.

Christmas morning....

(Big gifts this year: Lexy-- new bicycle [or "bike-a-cil", if you ask her], Tori--new baby stroller)

Hughes Zoo (running on VERY LITTLE SLEEP), Grandma, and Gigi.... Not willing to let our "colds" dampen the spirit, we charged on ahead and had our traditional egg casserole breakfast-- A Hughes Family tradition-- cinnamon rolls and apple cider. Oh. And we opened all the gifts from Santa. (How could I forget that) The morning is kind of a blur. Not many pictures to document it because no one was in a picture-taking mood. We were all just going through the motions in a daze. To wit, we forgot to open our stockings until lunch time.

After breakfast, we headed straight for URGENT CARE!! Isn't that where everyone goes on Christmas morning?! Thankfully, the answer was "no", and we didn't have to wait long.




Diagnosis: 2 ear infections, one in each daughter. Antibiotics all around!! And I hope you don't mind driving 20 MINUTES ACROSS TOWN because there's only ONE pharmacy open on Christmas Morning! Merry Christmas!

Still in pajamas after long morning naps, we headed over to Grandma Holly's house for the traditional Christmas dinner. We had a nice gathering of family that hadn't been together for quite awhile due to various circumstances.


Christmas 2008: One that will not be forgotten anytime soon. :)

The Nutcracker

Grandma Holly treated Lexy and I to a performance of The Nutcracker at the local community college this year.

We took a few pictures before heading out the door, and Lexy insisted on carrying a purse and wearing a scarf just like mommy.

I was able to find a little black purse to coordinate, but wasn't so fortunate with the scarf. As you can see, hers didn't match. At all. Oh well.

Lexy LOVED the show and has been talking about "ballerina girls dancing around on their toes" and "guys spinning on their heads" (authentic Russian dancers) ever since. She spots nutcrackers everywhere we go now. She's already talking about going with Grandma again next year. I guess we've started a new tradition. :)

And just to prove that she is, in fact, 3 years old, she decided to ROAR at the camera. I'm shaking in my boots. How 'bout you?

Christmas Card 2008

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas...

...with love from the Hughes Family

I love Christmas Vacation

The scene:
Home, the first 5 minutes of his "Winter Break."
Both girls so excited to have Daddy home.
Celebrating the quiet moments.

Wishing you all many quiet moments this Holiday season....

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful man ever!

(we're kinda partial :) )

Thanksgiving weekend swing