Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!

I, unlike everyone else in blogland (yes, I purposely did not use the term 'blogosphere'), did not do a Merry Christmas or Happy New Year post.  And frankly, I doubt many of my faithful readers are surprised, since I'm not usually on top of my posts... But, I did want to post a quick recap on a few holiday related items before we got too far into 2012. 

First off, our Christmas card!  I didn't order enough cards, so if you got one, consider yourself lucky.  If you didn't, well, neither did I, meaning I didn't save one for myself...  So I wanted to post a digital copy of our card on the ole blog so I could have it stored as a keepsake.  Lame, I know.  Plus apparently that's just what you do when you have a blog.  



We received mixed feedback on the picture we chose for the front.  I'll be honest, it probably wasn't my first choice, but...

• I wanted to do a more recent picture of Kairo, rather than a puppy picture
• We didn't have many super cute headshots of Kairo while he was older and a more landscape-y full body shot didn't work as well with the card layout (I even brought my camera hiking to get a cute picture of Kairo perched on a giant log, but it just didn't pan out...)
• I was down to the wire on placing the order before my Groupon expired

Thus... we got what some thought was cute, while others thought was weird face shot of the K-Man.  Personally, I love his expression.  It's so Kairo.  His inquisitive look with his lip caught on his teeth.  Awww, makes me smile just thinking about it.  The back consisted of a two smaller pics of Kairo as a puppy and then one of G$ and I with the Eiffel Tower behind us (don't worry, you'll see that picture when I recap Part 2 of our Europe trip).  

Christmas was great!  The whole long weekend was unseasonably warm - in the 60s - which was absolutely wonderful! 

On Christmas Eve Eve, Kairo and I met my Mom, Hunter, and Abby to go hiking at Hemlock (remember the ropes course when we were in school!), which is right near their house.  I didn't bring my phone or my camera, so no pictures to share there, but Kairo enjoyed hiking with other dogs and I enjoyed some quality mother-daughter time with my momma.  :)  After hiking, we went back to my parents' house for lunch and hanging out.  And even had the opportunity of meeting my parents' neighbors who have a 4 month old Vizsla named Otto.  He was so cute and little.  Really hard to believe Kairo was the little only a few months ago! 

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents' house, doing a brunch then lounging around with the family in a very relaxed setting, which I loved.  My brothers and I didn't exchange gifts this year (which made Christmas shopping a lot easier!  And together the kids bought my parents a group gift, so the present opening mainly consisted of watching Brandon, my nephew.  And as most children are, he was more interested in the paper than the presents!  So cute!  The best part of Christmas was that there was no rushing to get to another family's house, no feeling like it was getting late, it was perfect.  We even managed to get an impromptu family picture taken:




Christmas Day was spent with G$'s family.  We grabbed a quick bite at G$'s parents' house (homemade cinnamon rolls, yum!), then went to church.  After church, G$ and I swung home, changed, picked up Kairo and headed back to G$'s parents' house for present opening, walking/playing with Kairo outside, followed by an early dinner and an overexcited (ok, at least on my part) game of CatchPhrase.  What's my favorite 2011 Christmas gift you ask!?  Why it's the newest addition to my desk at work from G$'s brother:



Yes, a ceramic squirrel skull with gold teeth!

G$ and I went all out and super crazy for New Year's Eve this year... Ha!   Come on, you guys know us...  We didn't do anything. :)  Well, anything out of the ordinary that is. 

Best wishes for 2012!

<3
 K$