Family - the best gift

Mom and I decorating the Vaughan Christmas tree

This has been a whirlwind holiday season. My mom was rushed to the hospital in mid-December and Kendall and I flew to Michigan to check her out first-hand - and, thankfully, to take her back home and get her settled before we returned to Colorado. It ended up being a delightful trip, finally getting a (big) taste of winter after the balminess of Colorado, finishing the decorations in mom's already beautifully decorated home, celebrating early Christmas with her, and generally having a relaxed and lovely visit.


(Left to right: mom ready for early Christmas dinner, ready for church, and trying out her new hammer)


Kendall and I returned to Colorado with four days to do all of our Christmas preparations: cards, shopping, baking... And it turned out to be a pretty good way to go!

• Tuesday: shop.
• Wednesday morning/afternoon: write and mail cards - in time to reach at least the Colorado folk before Christmas!
• Wednesday afternoon/evening: go to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert with some friends (wow - over the top sound & lights!).
• Thursday night/Friday morning & afternoon: bake bake bake and deliver plates of cookies to neighbors and friends in time for Christmas Eve feasting.

Friday night (Christmas Eve) we enjoyed our traditional pizza and movie with the boys...ahhhh...relaxation.

Christmas Day started with me running to Paul via trails, he running with me back toward the house, meeting up with Kendall, Devon and Jester in the park for a leisurely stroll back to home, stockings, and presents. Since we wrap our presents in Sunday comics, our present opening is a rather slow process as we simply must read the comic that was oh-so-carefully chosen to highlight the present.

Lots of laughter accompanying the presents - especially so this year since Kendall and I had showered the fellas with science nerd t-shirts.
(Left: Devon & 'rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock.' Right: Paul & his favorite reply to almost anything)





Celebrations and laughter continued on Sunday with the Miller Christmas gathering. The most uproarious moment? When Kendall and his brothers (the 'high foreheaded' Miller boys) opened a package addressed to the three of them containing hair hats (complements of Kendall). What a hoot!