Christmas is over and the new year has begun.  There is always something both depressing and renewing with that.  Depressing because Christmas is of course Christmas, and once it's over it will be a whole year before it comes back.  And no matter how old you get, there will always be something exciting about Christmas.  It's compounded for us right now because Laurel is finally at the age when it really excites her.  Every little detail about Christmas was fun and exciting and new.  It was a wonderful holiday season.  It's also been fun doing all the firsts with Luke...first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas.  Of course he doesn't care if it's December or May, he just happily plods along.  But it means something to us, and of course we take a million pictures so that we can remember his first everything.  

Now that Christmas is over, there is the renewal that it is a new year.  That we can start over again in all the things we mean to do but haven't yet.  (lose weight, get organized, run a marathon, find that perfect job, etc)  Some goals are loftier than others.  It always seems like when January comes you have a chance to do things better.  I like that.  There is always room for improvement.  Maybe one day I'll finally hit my goal weight.  Maybe one day Jon and I will run a marathon together.  Maybe one day I'll be the kind of person who sends Thank You cards. But for now I'm content to work on the little things.  Most importantly; family time, health, mental well being.  We are a happy family.  We love to spend time together.  If anything we wish we had more time to spend together.  So it's the little things.  I want to spend more one on one time with Jon, Laurel and Luke.  I want to spend more quality time with my siblings.

Christmas break afforded us a fair amount of quality time, and it was great.  Even the long car rides that everyone dreads were kind of fun because we got to talk and laugh and be silly for an extended period of time with no work or school to break it up.  

Before we get to far into the daily grind again, it's time to recap the holidays and show everyone pictures and video of everything that happened.

Highlights: The Thurmond/Dorman family singing to the American Idol Wii game.  EVERY MEMBER sang.  Yep...that means Jon (Bon Jovi), Mom (Rod Stewart), Dad (Elton John).  Then there was the Hall/Dorman family Wii Rockband night.  I was shocked how well Josh  could both sing and read.  He smoked us all!  

Then there was the Dorman/Dorman/Dorman/Schieres Christmas festivities.  It's always great having Christmas after Christmas.  Instead of Christmas ending on the 25th...it started on the 25th and continued until the 30th.  (Of course that extended eating badly too, but that's what the new year is for)  Luke had a blast exploring the Dunkirk Dorman's house and opening presents and playing.  Laurel of course went through the whole Christmas excitement all over again.  Then we got snow and she got to go play in the snow and make snow angels, throw snowballs, pull her brother on the sled.  There are so many pictures and video to post so I will be as selective as I can be so that I don't overwhelm. 

There are so many more that I could post.  So many cute things that happened.  Like Jon and I waking up early on Christmas morning to make sure to catch Laurel's expression....but instead waiting hours for the kids to wake up, and eventually having to wake them up.  Or how Laurel decided she had to get this particular present for Luke and that was the thing she was most excited about on Christmas morning.  She jumped out of bed to get the present from behind the tree and gave it to her brother.  Or how after she got the lunch box from Uncle Bob and Aunt Sue, she stole all of Grandma Dorman's fruit because she needed to store it for the winter.  (Never gave it back either)  Or how Gabe tried to beat the 20 Questions Game we got him for Christmas...it can't be done...it knows all.  

So thanks to everyone who made this Christmas great.  My husband and kids, the Thurmond family, the Hall family, and all the Dormans and Schieres.  I hope everyone had a great holiday too!

(and there are more pictures and video coming...I'm trying to do a little at a time)