Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
We started our Christmas morning off with racing down to the family room to see what Santa had left us! Well, sort of! Mckenna was crabby and whining... she just wanted to watch Mickey. We had to convince her to open her stocking....

She enjoyed the fun treats she got in her stocking.... Tinkerbell fruit snacks, hat and mittens, coloring books... the good stuff!
And then it was time for the gifts from Santa... looking a bit confused....

Santa hit the jackpot!!! Ariel movie!!!

Mckenna loved her first gift so much, she didn't want to open anything else! A little bit of pushing (and bribing) was needed in order to get her to open gifts!

Good thing Ariel is a big helper and was able to also help open the rest of her gifts...

Mckenna was able to help Daddy too!

Forget the presents, the real treat was laying on the couch with Daddy to watch Ariel!

After we watched Ariel and showered, it was time for round 2 on Christmas Day!
Aunt Alice, Grandma and Uncle Bill came over for a Christmas celebration!

We enjoyed some gift opening together....

While someone else also enjoyed some donut eating....

We enjoyed climbing all over people and furniture!

And some good cuddling with Grandma...

And even got to enjoy a nap... and some bed head that followed!

Watch out! You thought Mommy was a picture freak.... little monster in training!!!

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve 2011!

From our little family of 4....

On Christmas Eve we celebrated with the VanAllen crew.
Nana trying to play some BINGO with the boys!
Big kids hanging out

Uncle Josh with the babies....

Amy & Jess
The pretty little girls!
Uncle Josh with the whole little crew

Trouble

Nana & Papa and their crew of monkeys

We were able to gather everyone together for a picture again!

And all the kiddos, too!

Never a dull moment!

Time for presents.... apparently naked babies are allowed!

Not sure what she was yelling about!

Time to jump on Papa!

We had a fun evening! We left some cookies out for Santa when everybody left and then headed up to bed waiting for the big guys arrival!

Mrs. Claus

Last Saturday we headed off to the play, Mrs. Claus, at the Beverly Arts Center. It was a production by a children's theater and was only supposed to be about 50 minutes long, so I was hoping Mckenna would like it and do good!

Our morning didn't start off too hot. Mckenna did not want to get dressed (shocking!) and especially did not want the black jumper on that goes with this outfit. She kept telling me she just wanted to be red (ie. shirt and tights, only!).

Despite the tears, I think she looked cute!

She was feeling much better when we met Daddy for lunch at Portillo's. This Santa was standing in the entryway. She ate her lunch and then asked to go see Santa. She is posing below because I squatted down to get her in the picture!

She was dancing all over and getting braver and braver with her waves and then trying to touch Santa. Guess she's a Santa expert now!
I tried to get more pictures, but she was running and dancing all over!

There was another little girl in the both behind us, so she was climbing all over Jim and trying to see her!

Playing and being silly!

Off to the Theater!

Mckenna loved playing in our aisle until the other people came to claim their seats!

Trying to try out the seats.... we had to hold the seat down for her to stay in it!

Choo to See Ho Ho

Last week we headed out for a trip down to Macy's to see Santa!
We took the train downtown, so Mckenna was excited to take the Choo-Choo to see Ho Ho!


A couple of pictures before we left!

She posed Santa on the stairs with her!

And then had to hold the bear in a basket!

Waiting in line in the winter wonderland leading to Santa....

The ropes were really fun to play with too!

Trying to take a cute picture.... trying!

Pressing some of the buttons to get the village to light up!

Here we go!!! Heading down the hallway!

Big girl all by herself! Hi Elf!

Umm.... Hi Santa! The idea of you is much more fun!

She did tell Santa what she wanted.... "Ariel Movie"

A few tears....

Then off to lunch at the Walnut Room!

Pretty tree!

Yummy chocolate milk and Mac & Cheese!

We had a fun day downtown! Mckenna wasn't super thrilled with the train ride on the ride there... yet another thing that sounds better in theory! She warmed up to after awhile and kept asking, "Everybody here yet?" as we stopped along the way to pick up additional riders! Too funny!