A Quiet Christmas and Birthday at Home, 2012

Christmas back in 2012 was a quiet, at-home affair in the Bay Area. The days around the holiday were calm, with the kids spending a lot of time with our guinea pig, just sitting together in the patches of sunlight on the couch. It's funny how a small pet can be the center of their universe for a little while.

Then came the main event. We gathered by the brick fireplace, still in our pajamas, to open gifts. The big hit this year was clearly the purple stuffed dog. The excitement of unwrapping it was so genuine and fun to watch. The rest of the morning was a happy blur of toys and wrapping paper spread out on the living room floor.

The celebration also doubled as a birthday. After the main unwrapping was done, we tried to get a few group photos to mark the occasion. Getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time is always a challenge, but we managed a few good shots. The new purple dog, which I see from the tag was named Violet, made it into every picture, of course. Just a simple, cozy holiday spent with family.