Is Life So Bad?: Christmas 2012

What a busy, crazy, past few December weeks. I felt like we did so much on top of being the busiest at work. Some highlights:

- hosted a holiday parties with our friends and their kids and brought in a special guest appearance (see last photo to see who)

- alia and I baked our annual holiday cookies for santa. I love how her decorating is getting more intricate and artistic each year.

- went on an SF holiday lights tour on a cable car (our first time ever).

- went caroling around Lake Merritt with some of Alia's school friends (her first time on a boat..we got invited to join one her school friend's family)

For the past couple of months, all Alia wanted for Xmas was a basketball hoop and piano..which of course she got (thx Grandma for the piano). Tim and I got the hoop and also a slide for the kids' playroom. We only got them two gifts and believe it or not, all the toys shown below are from other people. The kids are so lucky to have so many toys showered upon them.

Kian got lots of Elmo toys..one of his first words. He loves Elmo videos (what is it about that red high pitched voiced character?). I did make Alia her annual art book and a family photo book of everything we did this past year. She loves looking at them over and over again.

I end up loving Christmas more and more each year. Sure it's completely commercialized but yet so much fun with kids and really gives you an excuse to be indulgent and silly. 2012 was challenging in some ways but a great year. Looking forward to 2013!