awaiting Santa

Christmas Eve prep: Kayla was spreading the reindeer food and Maggie was in charge of the key. You see Santa fills our stockings wherever we are and grandma's house does not have a chimney. Elfie(our elf) left us a note that included a key just in case there was no chimney. Maggie hung the key very carefully on the front door so that Santa could make his way in.

A picture of the loot Santa left behind. We have started the tradition for our kids that Santa only does stockings and usually it is just fun silly stuff. They all were happy with what they received.

I tried to get them to pose for a quick picture and it was just not happening that morning!

Grandma's Christmas

So our Christmas started at 830am Christmas Eve as we traveled to my folks. The garage was prepped and ready for an afternoon gathering of family. Snacks all around, a reading of the traditional Christmas story by grandma and then present opening! Maggie received her only requested Christmas gift, a unicorn pillow pet! She has drug this thing around with us everywhere the past 12 days!!

Our kids godparents are one from each of Pete and I sides, so getting a photo of them together is almost impossible so I had an idea. Everyone from my side grabbed their godchild and we snapped a few quick cheeses!



This picture is just funny! We are all done cleaning up the garage after the party and my sister in her nice sweater dress is the one to return the snowblower to its proper place! Look at that determination on her face, she really dug her heels in! love ya Coke!

stockings

So a wonderful sister in law of mine handmade these gorgeous stockings for us 3 years ago. Pete and I have been wanting to make some kind of applique on the front of the stockings. We thought of many ideas candy cane, Christmas tree, bell, angel and just never came up with an idea we both liked. Pete woke one morning and said I am getting these done! A bit together we came up with the nativity scene. First the angel for Kayla, next is Mary, Joseph, and baby for Maggie, and then PJ got the shepherd with a sheep and drum. Brie rounds out the scene with the three kings. Each stocking has a star to tie them all together! Pete cut out the felt and glued some of it, then my mom came into town and took them home and hand stitched around the edges. I am so excited and happy with how they turned out!!

Grandma is in town!

My mom got a rare chance to come into town for a few hour visit on Sunday and the kids were thrilled!! They so enjoy having company at their house to show off all their things. We really travel a lot and so we are often not 100% ourselves and at home the true colors shine. Brie attached herself to my mom as soon as she arrived and would not be put down! They all had such a nice time with her. They got in a few games and lots of snuggles! She made the kids day and brought them her yummy chocolate chip cookies! I even let them dunk them in milk, not something I always say yes too, but grandma was here I had to say yes :~) Love you to pieces mom and am so happy we were able to spend time together! Thank you so much for your unconditional love! Miss you dearly!

the big red guy....

We had a visit with Santa at Santa's workshop, compliments of the local Bass Pro Shop. It included an arts table, games, model train set, craft table, and a free photo with the big guy himself. This is us waiting in line to see Santa. PJ is so excited he can hardly wait. Maggie was trying to be skeptical of the whole situation. Makayla really is just a good kid because she just went with it. Brie was trying to feed off of PJ's excitement but had to deal with so nervousness first.

PJ was thrilled to finally get to tell him that he wanted a Buzz Lightyear scooter!

Maggie struck a pose and then asked for a phone! I have no idea where that came from! Santa looked at me and said "mom's get the final say on that one" I replied, maybe we talk about it next year.

Brie had to be bribed with a candy cane and then she wanted down immediately! at least she is not screaming I guess, not thrilled but not screaming.

can I do my hair.....

Miss Maggie comes up to me Saturday morning all excited and says: can I do my hair? sure have at it I am headed out with Makayla. I come home to see Maggie's creation! She is SO PROUD of her hair! We counted no less than 23 hair pretties! Needless to say Maggie will need a lot of beauty school training before being released on anyone else's head! This is just so her personality, she would have totally wore this in public too and been completely comfortable! crazy kid, must have a lot of her father's genes :~).

Best Friends Forever

Makayla and Anna have been friends from the moment they meet in kindergarten. It has been a special friendship from the start! They really have a lot in common and get along so very well. Lucky for Pete and I we really like Anna's parents as well. After girl scout caroling Anna was nervously wanting something from her mother. We went off to a little corner by ourselves and little Miss Anna pulls out a best friends bracelet for Makayla. She was SO THRILLED! It was such a neat moment to watch these two little girls exchange that serious we really are best friends talk. I do not think the smiles could get any bigger on either one of their faces! I had to share this post because I have a feeling these girls are going to be in each other's lives a very long time and what a neat memory to have of this day.