a very merry christmas

After moving across the country from most of our family, holidays have been a much much quieter affair. I miss the giant family get togethers where there is nowhere to sit and you are often left eating your Christmas dinner on a TV tray. I don't really miss the souffle salad, but I do miss the comraderie that comes out as my generation discusses the gross-ness of that which is the souffle salad, and by gross I mean green jello, mayo, olives, and green peppers or some other type of vegetable.

Souffle salad or not, our little Chunglund family enjoyed a quiet little holiday. We attended the kids service at church on Christmas Eve and Little Miss J sat mesmerized by all the singing and dancing. She was so sad to leave church ...

I wanna go to church!

Gus got her to stop crying in the car by saying he would get her a bike. Little did she know we had this waiting for her at home.

We opened our family presents after church. Socks and underwear for Dad. A new printer for Mom. A rawhide for Carl. And an easel and a balance bike for the good little girl.

After we all played with our gifts for a bit, we bundled up and headed to Raley's Theater of Lights in downtown Sacramento. The light show included Samuel Clemens reciting 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and a visit from St. Nicholas himself.

After the light show we took our little girl out for her favorite dinner ... crab legs. We endure the noise and the dancing of that which is Joe's Crab Shack because the crab is actually pretty good. This time the munchkin managed to eat her weight in crab and calamari.

It's not the typical crazy family Christmas that I am used to, but I am so grateful to celebrate with my little family.