Christmas

For Christmas this year Sparky and Pops came to up to IL.  Usually when they are here, C takes to Sparky right away and is a little shy around Pops.  Well this time was different. Right away she warmed up to him.   

Telling him all her secrets.

They were here for 4 days.  We didn't get any snow but it was pretty cold. We spent our time watching movies, playing games, playing with toys and of course eating.

One morning while I was still sleeping C talked Pops into playing "Pretty Pretty Princess."  As someone on Facebook said..."only real men wear tiaras!"

C got to open up one of her gifts early. Pops and Sparky got her a Food Face Plate.

You can make all sorts of silly faces on the plate with your food.

We had to give it a try right away.  Crazy hair, with a flower in it and a mustache!

And again on Christmas day...Green bean hair, potato beard and turkey mustache, brows and earrings.  Apparently most of our creations have been cross-dressers!!! I didn't realize that until just now!

One Friday night we took C to her first hockey game. A friend had given me 4 free tickets, so we only had to buy 1.  So I figured even if we didn't stay long, it would still be worth the money.  We all thought that Sparky and I would take C back home after the first period.  But when that time came, neither of them wanted to leave.

It wasn't very crowded and we had awesome seats.

We ended up staying for the whole game. While we were there C ate an Icee and a whole popcorn--by herself! I thought for sure she would never go to sleep when we got home.  We had in her bed close to 10 pm and she was asleep in less than 3 minutes.

Poor Jake still had to wear the "cone of shame" during Christmas.  Jake is obsessed with Pops and spent a good deal of his time like this.  Just begging for Pops to pet him and looking pathetic.

Helping me make cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve day.

While they were here Pops opened a Facebook account.  So while he spent time on that, C had to sit next to him and "work" on her computer too.

We went to church on Christmas Eve and then drove around and looked and some big Christmas light displays. I was trying to take a photo with my iPhone.  Not a good job, but I did manage to get a good one of C.

After the lights we came home and sprinkled reindeer dust on our front lawn.

We let her open up 1 gift and then got her cookies, carrots and milk ready for Santa and his reindeer.

Santa came!!

He must have used our chimney and left it open!

Cookies, carrots and milk gone and a letter for C left.

On Christmas morning C found a note from Christmas Jingles (her Elf) and a small gift. Sparky helped read the letter to C.

When she was coming downstairs she kept saying "I hope Santa left me a Lalaloopsy treehouse" over and over.  You can tell from the expression on her face that he did.

Checking out her Santa stash.

She got lots of new, fun games but this is probably her favorite one. Everyone has played it with her. Even though the ages are 6 and up, she still kicks some butt.

Finally all the presents are open and she can play with her treehouse.

She is obsessed with that thing. I don't care for it and neither does J. The pieces are poorly made, but she LOVES it. She has spent hours playing with it.

Showing Daddy how it works.

Playing Guess Who with Sparky and Pops.

We had such a wonderful, fun Christmas. The only thing that could have made it more perfect was some snow.  This was our third Christmas in IL and the past two we have had a white Christmas.  I definitely missed that this year.  

Photo Flashback

This is C on Christmas morning 2010.

This is her on Christmas morning 2011.   I was super excited that the pajamas from last year still fit!

Her face has gotten longer and she looks more mature.  My little girl is growing up!

Goodbye To Christmas Jingles

C thoroughly enjoyed having Christmas Jingles visit us for the whole month of December.  First thing every morning when she woke up she would run downstairs and find him. Then she would come upstairs to wake us up and tell us to come find him too. Jingles tried to find a clever spot everyday.  

Perched on our office doors.

Just hanging around. This morning C could not find him. She spent about 15 minutes looking for him before she finally came up and asked for our help.

Going for a spin. 

He also got into our Christmas cookies one night and ate some.  He hung out with Santa, perched on top of the tree, and checked out different stockings.

The last night he spent the night in C's room on her bedside table.  He also left her a sweet note and a gift.  She got an alarm clock with a CD player in it.  She was so excited and said that was her favorite present of all.  

When she went to bed on Christmas Eve in Sparky's bed, she ran out of the room for a minute. She came back in and I asked her where she went. She told me she had to give Christmas Jingles a kiss goodbye.  She just loved having him around.  We look forward to his return next December!

Merry Christmas To All

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Christmas Fun

We can't believe how fast December has gone.  We have stayed really busy so that has not helped.  I volunteered to bring some cookies to C's preschool program. Usually we have to bring store bought but for this event they could be homemade. I was really excited and scoured the internet for cute Christmas ideas. We finally settled on reindeer. C was a great helper. She loved putting on the ears and eyes.

Ready for the oven.

I added the noses after they baked. I didn't have what I needed and had to improvise with marshmallows and sprinkles. I think they still turned out pretty cute.

All ready for her Christmas program.

Her sweater has little doggies on it with red bows. We got TONS of compliments on it.

I couldn't get any decent ones of her singing. But my friend Stephanie did and I will post them once she sends them to me (hint, hint)!!  C and C.  He is one of her many boyfriends. He has already told his mom and dad on many occasions that he is going to marry C. I told them that would be fine as we will get along with the in-laws!

I let C have a Christmas party and invite just a few girls. I found this cute recipe on line and made them.  They are covered marshmallows and pretty easy. The hardest part was breaking the pretzels just right for the antlers. We went through a lot of pretzels.

C and her friends working on their reindeer headbands.

My friend Stephanie hosted a Christmas dinner at her house for a few couples. We brought the kids and they stayed in the basement with a babysitter while the adults got to eat a feast upstairs.  

One Sunday we stayed in our pajamas all day. After quiet time for C, I popped some popcorn and let her watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas".  It was probably a bit too advanced for her but oh well.

This past Sunday I hosted a cookie exchange. I of course forgot to take pictures of all the cookies or the guests. But here is my bounty.

And this too. I froze a bunch so Sparky and Pops could enjoy some when they joined us for Christmas in a few days.  

I can hardly believe that we are less than a week away from Christmas.  To me my favorite part is always the anticipation of the actual day. I just love the Christmas season and I am going to try to really enjoy these last few days.