This is what Christmas in New Canaan looked like.

Highlights:

• When the Monk family trio came caroling & gave us a mini concert with their viola, violin & cello. 
• Cooking. Lots & lots (& lots) of cooking. 
• Making a little spot for Bryan (i.e. his photo) at the dinner table.
• Mike, Cara & Dave playing Words with Friends on their iPhones All. Weekend. Long. 
• Reading Bryan's letters Christmas morning & then talking to him in the afternoon. He's happy (& safe) so we're happy.
• Oh, & the really funny / awkward point during the call with Bryan (with everyone on conference call) when Dave & Bryan were discussing one of Bryan's "friends" that he'd suggested hang out with Dave a few months prior. Let's just say that Dave met her. And they hit it off, for a while anyway.  I just wanted you guys to meet! Just to meet!! 
• Taking family photos & having a lot of fun doing it.
• Getting about 10 hours of sleep every night all weekend.
• Watching approximately 3 dozen football & basketball games, not to mention anything on Fuel TV.
• A very fun surprise from Mike. 
• The moment when Jeanne gave Steve a replica of an original copy of the Book of Mormon & he momentarily thought that she had taken out a second mortgage on their house. 
• Dave's gift from the heart that was actually... a heart. 
• The decoy box that Dave delivered my Christmas gift in.  
• Cheesecake Factory & the corn cakes that come with the stuffed chicken tortillas. I need to learn how to make those. 
• Seeing The Blindside. I like movies that make me happy.

We're back to the city tonight. This week should be quiet & nice, with no seminary & Mike only working a few hopefully-shorter-than-usual days in the office.

I hope our Christmas tree isn't dead.