christmas 2009

This year, we had a low-key family gathering in Connecticut with Jonathan's family. We went to Mom Berg's church for Christmas Eve services and came home to feast with his brother Drew and Bruce and their families.














They surprised me with a birthday cake as I'll be marking my 40th on Tuesday. I had a huge chocolate cupcake-shaped cake with whipped cream and raspberries and mmmm, it was good! Here are my nieces singing Happy Birthday with gusto:














The next day, we slept in and eventually got around to opening gifts later that morning. Mom and I were getting anxious to see Riley open his presents (he didn't give a hoot), so with J's encouragement, he went to work. He got a play vacuum from my parents that we forgot to bring batteries for so it didn't get use until we got home (see last picture):














His current favorite gift tho' was the laptop that we bought him. He has been enjoying that immensely, tho' he doesn't really understand the various games yet. He's happy to hear the letters being called out as he punches the various keys:














Here he is checking out his funny face bath toy:














Unstuffing the stocking was fun...G'ma got lots of little toys for him to play with, the favorite being his Cars stampers and 4 mini monster trucks:














It's funny how the cheap toys from the dollar store capture so much of his attention:














That afternoon, we enjoyed a lazy one of watching Julie and Julia (loved it!). Riley didn't last very long tho', he preferred Nick Jr.














We got home Friday night and today, Riley went to work with his new vacuum:














(Such a manly man, working in his undies...)

Riley's biggest gift was a train table and Thomas the Tank Engine set that we bought off of Craigslist. Once we get around to getting it set up, we'll post pics on the blog. It's getting set up in stages, as we have time. He also got several Leap Frog toys from G'ma Berg & us which will help encourage his word-building now that he knows his letters.

J and I decided to upgrade our iPod Nanos from the 1st Gen to the 5th Gen. That was our big gift to each other. Riley's now going to have his music totally digital as he'll get J's old nano as well as a docking station for his room. He's such a millennial now.

While we enjoy the gifts that we are able to give to each other and our son, we are most thankful for the extraordinary gift of Jesus coming to earth and living the perfect life we were incapable of living. His perfect record, and willingness to endure the punishment for our sin and rebellion is the Gift of all Gifts. We praise him for his mercy and love to us, knowing that He is the reason for this season. Soli Deo Gloria!

Shelby