Christmas Day

Santa was good to Miss Lily Pie.

He left her a letter thanking her for taking care of

Rosie the Elf.

Santa knows how much Lily loves scavenger hunts

so he and Rosie hid her stocking and

wrote her some clues.

And she found it like a pro!

Thank you Santa!

This walking puppy was the coveted gift.

I got in trouble more than once for not purchasing it while in Target.

Santa and I had a plan!

Wally and Stuey both got in on the action.

They stay in our garage during the day.

The gifts were hidden in the garage.

They got into them and chewed the boxes of several gifts.

They got to give the gifts they chewed on.

Luckily no gifts were harmed during their signing.

After breakfast Lily sat and played with the two hits of Christmas!

christmas day we didn't get out of our pajamas

we layed around just the 3 of us all day.

It was perfect!

And a few more.....

Lily stayed the night at my moms

I should be cleaning,

but this is much more fun.

2 reasons I love vacation

I have time for my hobby!

Scrapping makes me happy

more to come I am sure!

Christmas 2010

Lily spent the night at Nonnie and Papa's.

She woke up at their house on Christmas Eve.

Papa went to the store and while he was gone Santa came for a visit.

She was willing to sit on this particular Santa's lap.

He brought her some toys and some chocolate bunny milk.

When I asked her about it she told me that Papa was inside Santa.

I said you mean Santa ate Papa.

She said NO, I mean santa was a papa. Well a different Papa.

A Santa Papa.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house.......

well these creatures were stirring at Nonnie and Papa's.

Where we got to open presents first!

After dinner we decorated some cookies for Santa.

Then we drove home the long route and we looked at all the sparkling lights.

Some were timed to music and some were just, well, just plain tacky.

I mean really they were featured on HGTV's tackiest lights episode.

I could sure see WHY!!

To see click here

Santa came and was good to Lily.

He couldn't help but leave Wally and Stuey a little something.

Stuart woke bright and early and could hardly stand that his girl was sleeping in.

He just knew this was gonna be his!

The girl eventually awoke.

She needs her beauty rest you know

she can't be bothered to awake early even on Christmas morning.

Santa listened she got her fire dragon and her Deadly Nadar.

The only two things on her list.

One happy pink tutu wearing girl surrounded by dragons.
It just doesn't get much better than that.

Christmas baking

I've been a bakin and a steamin'!

A certain little someone has helped every step of the way.

We've made plenty of cookies and

too many tamales.

I think the secret is in the sauce.

Each year I try a new pepper in the search of tamale nirvana.

This is the first time I've tried dried peppers.

I think perhaps I've done it.

I think I say that every year!

But, each year, I'm a little hesitant to actually share them with friends.

This year I think I'll gladly share.

It is Christmas Eve.

Lily is bursting at the seems with excitement.

She's tried to coerce anyone who will listen to let her open her presents.

Part of the fun is torturing the poor girl.

It's so much sweeter when you wait!

Merry Christmas

Wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas

and a happy start to 2011!

Christmas catch up

We've been busy around here lately.

Last night our friends had us over for a gingerbread house party.

It was a lot of fun.

Last weekend we headed to art beast and played with some of our friends.

We also took cousin A. to a place called Santa's secret adventure.

We had a horse and carriage ride.

Listened to some elves read us the night before christmas.

And helped Santa decorate his tree.

We also helped the elves wrap some toys.

It's been a busy few weeks around here and now we are all ready for vacation!

Sneak peek at some christmas shots

It's a bird its a plane....It's Santa Clause.

Some Wally love.

And some love for Lily.

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

Just a little Christmas Scrap.

We had a wonderful couple of days.

Hope you did too.

I really do LOVE Christmas.

It is sometimes stressful, but in the end, it was all love, fun, and family!

My brother has always loved christmas. He is still just as enthralled. He shares the same amount of excitement as each one of the children in our family. He used to wake me up before the sun rose and you could feel the excitement coming from him like electricity. At the point he woke me up he already opened his stocking and counted each of our presents to make sure Santa remembered that we needed equal shares. Our house was always frigid because our only heat came from a wood stove. So we would creep downstairs and sit teeth chattering, bundled in layers and shake each of our gifts and try to guess what could be inside. It is one of my favorite childhood memories. The above picture of my brother and dad laughing brought this vivid memory back. In Troy's stocking he got some trick gum that gave an actual electric shock. It was the hit of the evening as the men in the family took turns shocking eachother. I will have to say that it was true proof that women are smarter. We each declined the gum, while the boys did it multiple times.

I would like you to notice the many wardrobe changes of Lily. She decided to sleep in that purple dress, cause if you wear jammies, you might be asked to take off the tights. Santa brought her some jammie shorts he found. She will only wear shorts as jammies. They are quite hard to find this time of year. Santa had to use some christmas magic. And lastly the day would not be complete without wearing your wedding dress as least once.

When Lily really wants something and she isn't sure if she can have it she whispers it in my ear. She says Mommy I have a secret.....so after all the presents were open and our breakfast was eaten she whispered in my ear. Mommy can Santa come back again. Needless to say the man with the scary beard was a hit. Her favorite christmas gifts were the set of matchbox cars and the baby doll that came complete with highchair, stroller, and playpen.

This next picture is for Hannah she suggested this little bear set (and Santa took her up on the idea) and there has never been a better spot for a teeny tiny bear family.

Christmas Tamales

Today my mom came over and we made tamales. We have done it each year since Peter and I made the decision of which country to adopt from. They are still a work in progress. Each year they get a little better, a little tastier. My recipe has scratches and scrawls all over it as I perfect the craft. My favorite note is that you must boil the serano peppers outside on the BBQ so that the whole house does not have constricted airways. This is the first year we have had a pint size helper. She was very excited about making tamales and even more excited about eating them tomorrow.
A public service annoncement to anyone who will be eating the said tamales and have read my facebook posts about her fever. None of her tamales made their way to the pot. Please don't tell her that though.

Advent Calendar

This year I found this advent calendar at Target. Not the advent calendar of my dreams but perfect for my little conductor. Each day in December we have discovered a chocolate kiss inside. Join us on our morning ritual.Looking for the treat. Where is it again Mommy.
Ah ha I found you!

Thats the stuff christmas is made of.

Mmmmm, Mmmmmm good!

Gingerbread Houses

Meg and I made gingerbread houses with our first graders. We do this project every year and are left with more candy than anyone could ever need. Gumdrop gallore! So Meg had the brilliant idea of putting some of that candy to good use. We went to Meg's and made houses with Jake and Sofia. The kids ate a little pizza and then ate candy gallore. There was a lot of bouncing!! It was a lot of fun hopefully a tradition in the making.

Lily and Sofia posed perfectly for this picture. But first I forgot to take the lense cap off, then I forgot to turn the camera on and well this is what you get when you are too slow.