Christmas in Nor Cal

Critter and I trekked it up to Nor Cal the Monday before Christmas to spend some extra time with my family. I was a little apprehensive because lately he has been very clingy, especially around "new" people. My family is not new to him by any means but I was thinking it would take him a day or two to warm up. Wrong. Thankfully and joyfully very wrong.

Critter went immediately to his Nani from the car seat and proceeded to give hugs all around to Grandpa and Aunt Kelly. It was wonderful and special as was the rest of our time with them.

For the most part, we laid low only getting out to run errands or go to the park between naps. Grandpa, Tim, and Uncle Ryan did take Critter on an adventure to Train Town one day. It was good to be with family and watch Critter play, interact and enjoy his Kimmel side.

Christmas Day was a blast. Critter was pretty good at tearing wrapping paper, clapping and screaming in excitement as gifts were opened or when he deemed it necessary to liven up the party. Grandpa and Nani surprised him with his first laptop. That's right, fifteen month olds with laptops! It works on the alphabet and phonetics, but Critters favorite setting is music and sounds. My extended family came over for dinner and an epic white elephant gift exchange in the late afternoon. My Nana (Critter's great-Nana) gifted him a very cool quad bike. Jude immediately got on it, pushed the button and rode into the sunset (actually, it was down the hall in my parents house).

The days following Christmas were spent wedding dress shopping for my sister, Kristy. Karl proposed to her on Tuesday, the 21st, up at Kimmel Vineyards on a swing (he built from a tree he cut down at the ranch earlier in the fall) that he hung from an oak tree lit up by white Christmas lights. To put it nicely, he rocked the proposal and we are excited for what lies ahead of both of them. To the point: Kristy found her dress! It is gorgeous and I can't wait to post pictures come June. Happy wedding planning.

Because I am terrible at choosing just a few photos, here's a slideshow and a couple movies of our week.