Christmas

When we are in town for Christmas we have found this house all decked out for the holidays that we like to go visit. On the 23rd and 24th of December they give out free train rides around their yard. We got the kids all excited to go and then when we got there found out that they weren't giving rides this year. We were a little bummed out until our friends came and then we just went over to their house for the night and the kids forgot completely about the train ride. It was still a fun house with lots of lights and a dancing Santa. I don't like to cook. It makes a mess and it seems like it never comes out right or how I want it to. Dave wanted to have a big Christmas dinner with friends but I just wasn't up for doing two nice dinners. So we decided to go to Macoroni Grill for Christmas Eve dinner. Everyone in our family likes the food there so we knew it would please everyone. It was fabulous. I thought we would be the only ones there or there with all the single dads and kids( like on the Santa Claus movie) but we weren't. It was getting busy, I was surprised. That may be a new tradition for us.

Then we came home and opened the traditional pajamas. The kids were extra good and got slippers too. They love the slippers. Ben zooms around in his saying he is a rocket ship since they have buzz lightyear on them.

so cute

Then came Christmas morning. The kids are really starting to get in to Santa Clause. Siena wrote a letter to him and he wrote back. We left cookies and milk for him and the reindeer and we tracked Santa all day on the internet to see where he was. It was a lot of fun. Apparently the kids were really good because he brought a stash for them. What lucky kids!

Siena is always stealing our camera and I wanted to buy her a real one but I didn't want to spend the money on a real one. Looking through old electronics a couple weeks ago we found one of our old ones. I was so excited! I think this is the one we had as newlyweds but it has everything that she needs. So now you might occassionally see some pictures from Siena on our blog. She has already gone through one set of batteries.

The kids were so good and patient with one another. I imagined a mess where the kids wake up and go downstairs by themselves and tear open all the gifts before we get there but they all took turns opening gifts and it took a long time for us to finish them all. They even sat for a little while and ate some breakfast before we opened the stockings and presents. They loved taking time and playing with each one. It made for a very relaxing morning.

It was a Toy Story and Transformer Christmas for Ben. He was so excited Siena gave him his favorite gift. BumbleBee the transformer. We had no idea transformers were for such young kids but Ben loves them. We went to McDonalds a couple weeks ago and got happy meals. Bens came with a transformer and he has been hooked on it ever since. He carries it everywhere. Christmas Eve we showed him a couple minutes of the Transfomer movie and he loved it. It is so funny to me. My little boy is growing up and into action heros.

Siena got Jessie the Cowgirl and Bullseye from Toy Story and Barbie dolls of Rupenzel. She is in love. I am glad the kids are so easy to please. She also got a big stash of craft/art projects. She spends hours downstairs creating things. Here is a jewelry box that she can decorate. She is so excited.

Santa left Ben a Buzz and Woody race car set. You shake the cars and they race all around. It took him a little bit to understand how to do it but he know now and loves it. He also got a Lightning McQueen one from his cousins that he can use on the track. It is a fun toy.

It was a fun holiday. As usual we all went overboard and have everything we ever would want and need. Dave bought a lot of stuff for himself for his t.v. and sound system and such. I got him a lot of tools and garage stuff so we can get some projects done. I received some fun sewing things and kitchen gadgets and some money to go shopping to decorate this house. It has been fun. We are very blessed and had a great day together as a family.

snow day

the long driveway. we got a snow blower yesterday...just in time!

helping shovel

so happy to be playing in the snow

snow angels!

D.C. got 2 inches of snow and of course everything shut down. Preschool for tomorrow has been canceled already. The kids were so excited to go out and play in it. I wasn't so excited so I made them wait until it stopped snowing before we went out. Then they went and played while I sat in the garage on a lawn chair. I am so tired. They have been wanting to go outside for days now but it has been bitter cold and windy. They were so happy and they lasted a lot longer than I thought they would. Luckilly and couple months ago we bought real waterproof snow gloves for them and snowsuits so we were prepared for the snow this time. They had a good time. Afterall for Thanksgiving Siena said she was thankful for snow angels. She is my little snow bunny.

School Program

finally happy to be leaving

so happy to be there.

Siena had her first school Christmas program. She was really excited about dressing up and having us all come and watch her. You wouldn't know by the pictures though. She sat there staring blankly into the lights the whole time. Dave was able to get a few pictures of a part smile. She did not sing one song. I don't know if she even knew the words. Poor girl. She did do a good job of doing her part, making sure baby Jesus was nice and warm with his blanket in his manger. The happiest picture we have of her is her walking out of the program. To her defense she did throw up in the middle of the night that night so I guess she wasn't feeling good the whole program. It was still fun to watch her and the program.

Ben sat on Santas lap at the church Christmas party. He was very patient waiting in the long line. Dave said that he didn't really say anything but atleast he sat and was curious about it all. He told us he asked Santa for a Buzz lightyear and a transformer. Siena was terrified and sat on the other side of the room the whole time.

Oh Christmas Tree

We got our Christmas tree at the beginning of December but it took a while to actually decorate it. The problem with live trees is that it seems like we never have the right amount of lights. So we had to go out and buy more lights for it and we finally found a tree topper star. We have never had one before. The kids loved picking out the tree and decorating it. All the fun ornaments are at the bottom where they can reach them. Dave has 3 guitar ornaments and Ben loves them and rearranges them daily. After he runs around the house playing the guitar. They now have been put at the top of the tree out of reach. They have free run on the smaller 3 trees in the front of the house.

the finished product

we found a birds nest in the tree!

Dear Santa

(it's hard to see at the bottom... she says a jessie doll and a bullseye. Also a princess ring. Thank you )

Siena is still terrified of Santa. She gets all shy whenever he comes into the room or even within 100 feet of her. We were reading some Christmas books about Santas workshop and the elves working and making toys and Santa reading the letters from good boys and girls and she finally got the idea to write Santa her own letter. It is so dang cute. I love it. She actually ran out of room on the paper she wanted so many things. I had to tell her to stop asking for things. So now we need to go find a mailbox to go and mail it directly to him.

December

It looks like Ben is ready to take a bite out of it.

Siena's two creations

Nana sent us a box of Oriental Trading Christmas crafts. This one was awesome. The kids loved it. They did all the stickers by themselves even. They had a lot of fun and it took a long time for them to create. Siena even made one for our baby. She wanted to put a name on the house for the baby but I thought it was a little premature for that so it says baby. (Whenever someone asks the kids what the babies name is they say Claire, it makes Dave really mad) As she pointed out, in a couple years Nana can send us more since she won't be a baby anymore. Too funny. Thanks Nana and Papa, Siena has been wanting to do these ever since she saw the package. I am debating whether or not we should do a candy gingerbread houses now, since we know what they will look like.

Now on to decorating the little Christmas trees. We are excited hopefully this weekend we will go get our real big one.

and a random trip to the zoo we took last week. It was too warm to pass up.