The fun and the festivities!

Another Christmas, survived!  We had a lot of fun leading up to the big day...

Thursday we headed out to Zoo Lights with our friends Sean, Rachel and their 2 little ones.  It was a chilly, chilly night in Phoenix.  I think I was the only mom who didn't have gloves on her kids.  Who the heck owns gloves when you live in Phoenix?  Apparently everyone but us!  Here we are, ready to head out!

Here are 3 of the 4 little ones, including our friend Haley.  Zach is not yet 1 so he was easy to contain.  These 3 on the other hand, not so much.  We had them convinced to hold hands...but then they would run off at top speed.  They had so much fun!

We ate dinner before we left, but leave it to my kids to "get hungry" about an hour in.  We had to stop and wait in the massive lines for some emergency chicken nuggets.

The next night we headed over for a pre-Christmas Eve dinner at Grammy & Papa's house.  Cole has been interested in Star Wars lately (thanks to cousin Lukas).  Grammy truly saves everything and had pulled out all of Shawn's Star Wars toys from when he was a kid.  The kids had a blast playing with them!  Kenleigh especially liked Chubaka and kept calling him "Waka." She slept with the figurine that night.

Grammy had set up a special table for the kids to enjoy their dinner.  Cole of course didn't want to sit at the "baby table." Kenleigh enjoyed her meal and Papa joined her for entertainment.  Love this picture, pretty much sums up their relationship!

Here are Shawn and his parents on Christmas Eve!

We had a great time reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (the version recorded by Grandma & Papa John) and setting out cookies for Santa.  Unfortunately the kids got thirsty and drank all of Santa's milk.  The kids posed quickly before bedtime.

By midnight we had everything assembled and wrapped.  It was a long night!  In the end it looked so magical with the lights on the tree on and all the presents around.  I wanted to have a glass of wine, sit on the couch and enjoy it...but knew little feet would be up early the next morning, so off to bed we went.





Santa brought lots of great presents...here the kids are enjoying a few!

Dress up clothes are a hit in our house.  Cole is always dressing up in the fairy and princess dress up clothes so Santa decided it was time for some boy dress up clothes.  Up first...Captain Amerca!

Then a sweet little Tinkerbell wanted to join in on the fun (post nap hair do included!).







Couldn't miss the chance to picture them together.  Here they are posing with the neighbors outdoor plastic light up nativity set (don't ask!).

It was truly a fantastic Christmas and I am so sad it's already over!  A special gift arrived for Christmas.  Marcia sent me a DVD of the photo slide show we showed at my dad's service last October.  The kids and I sat and watched it on Christmas Day...I cried and smiled, it was so nice to see him on a day that I miss him so much.