On the 4th Round of Christmas, My Family Gave to Me…

"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."
-Larry Wilde

Christmas preparations happened in a rush in the days leading up to Christmas, but it was made easier by a few helpers who were happy to wrap and make cookies for Santa.

The traditional Christmas Eve dinner at Joe T. Garcia’s was a lot of fun as it always is.  It’s amazing to think this tradition has been in our family for going on 25 years now.

After dinner the reindeer food was spread on the driveway, Christmas PJ’s were donned, and cookies were set out for Santa.

Christmas #1:  Christmas started with the kids sleeping in, which is strange since James rarely sleeps in.  We gave them permission to come in our room and wake us up if they got up early but instead the parents were awake before the kids.

Christmas #2:  This year we had Christmas breakfast at Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jeff’s house.  Uncle Jeff did all the cooking and the kids did all the eating.  After breakfast the kids opened up another batch of presents and had fun with PePa.

Christmas #3:  The next stop was at Nina and Papa’s.  The kids had yet more fun tearing open presents.  Isla ended up taking a nap with Nina, apparently three Christmas’ is her limit.

Christmas #4:  Off to Grandma and Grandpa Wolfe’s for Christmas dinner.  Oh yeah, more presents!

Thanks everyone for a fantastic day.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Smiles and crafts…

"Christmas is a tonic for our souls. It moves us to think of others rather than of ourselves.
It directs our thoughts to giving."
-B. C. Forbes

Little Isla keeps growing, as babies tend to do, and when she’s not being fussy she’s  becoming more social as well.  While the pictures below look like she’s trying to eat the person she’s playing with, she’s actually in the process of grinning.

Like this.  She’s also started the stage where she’ll attempt to grab everything in front of her whether or want her to or not.

James is also still his smiley self.  Most of the time anyway.  Usually when he’s not it’s because he has engaged in some competition with his big sister and unfortunately for him he rarely wins.  Someday when he’s bigger he might have a fighting chance, but for now hit only hope is to win a few times against Isla when she becomes mobile.

As proof that Isla will smile without trying to eat someone, here are a series of pictures of Isla in her pink and grey baby prison hoodie.  Awww…

And here is a picture of Isla and Pe-Pa, who came over for breakfast and entertained the little one for a bit. Notice the distinct lack of trying to eat him.

Christmas is a time for giving, not receiving, and this includes Rusty.  The first present under the tree this year was wrapped by the children for our favorite canine.

The gifts didn’t stop with Rusty, Ashlyn expressed interest in making gifts for the grandparents.  So out came the craft bin and the kids got busy making some presents.  I have blurred out the works in progress because I’d be in big trouble if the secret got out.