Frankly Franklin: Welcome to 2011!

Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Franklins! It is the most wonderful time of the year in my opinion. This time of the year is full of joyful endings and hopeful beginnings. Our Christmas was wonderful. I don't know that we could have packed anymore into the few short weeks of the Christmas season. I had set several goals for this December. I wanted to do some Christmas cooking. I wanted to really decorate this year and I wanted to be present in the Christmas season instead of rushing through it as I have the past couple of years.

We started out the season with our traditional trip to Sparta. Then there was Breakfast with Santa at Andrew's preschool. All of the preschool students and teachers wore their favorite PJs to school. Then everyone had pancakes and got to sit on Santa's lap. Andrew loved the pancakes and would wave at Santa but when the time came to sit on his lap Andrew kicked the crap out of him and started screaming. Yes folks, that is my kid. Thankyouverymuch. So needless to say visiting with the big guy in red didn't really happen.

I had completed most of the Christmas shopping very early this year so there was only a handful of loose ends to tie up. I got the house decorated and through a small Christmas miracle Andrew didn't not show any interest in our tree or other decorations. I had fears he would try to pull the tree over or climb it. I was surprised and thankful for his disinterest.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions that Kyle and I started a couple of years ago is adopting an angel or two from the Salvation Army Angel tree. This year's Angel was actually a project for Andrew's class at school. Out of all the Christmas presents I buy, Kyle and I feel that these are the most important. We will continue this this tradition and develop some new ones to help teach Andrew that this season isn't about what he gets, it is about what he gives.

I started a new tradition this year with Christmas Cooking Extravagaza 2010. I invited a group of my friends for an evening of Christmas cooking and good food. Each friend brought ingredients for their favorite Christmas cookie or candy recipe. While we cooked, we snacked on several Fondue choices and enjoyed an evening of grown up conversation with lots of laughter thrown in for good measure. Everyone took home a container of the goodies we all made.

We hosted our annual Christmas Eve party again this year. Our family does "Aunt Shary Sandwiches" aka an Italian Subs and lots snacky stuff. Then we open our Christmas Eve PJs and read the Christmas Story in the bible and the "Twas the Night Before Christmas".

Christmas morning Santa had arrived and left Andrew big loot. He got a new train table and tracks, tent, easel, trucks, puppets and puzzles. He loved the toys but still didn't understand exactly what was going on. We are lucky to have our family close. We spent Christmas morning with the Hanf family eating Pluck-It Bread and opening presents. Then it was home for nap time. Once we were all rested we headed to the Bingles for more food and presents. The whole day was made perfect by the 6 inches of snow that fell outside. It looked like a postcard.

Our New Years Eve was spent with good friends eating good food and playing board games. What more could we ask for? It was the perfect end to the year and a wonderful start to 2011. Here is some pictures of all of the fun. Sorry they aren't in order.

Andrew's first time playing in the snow. 12.26.10