Christmas 2009

A little behind on the Christmas 2009 post but hey, I am almost always late so I guess it is just par for the course, right?!
This year on Christmas Eve we headed up to Duke's parents house for his side of the family's get together. We got up there around 2:30 pm and and our intent was to drive back home (an hour) to spend the night at our house and so that the kids could wake up to Santa having come to our house. Being the worry wort that I am, I decided to pack ALL of Christmas up in the back of the Suburban...just in case. And just in case came in handy because the snow storm that was set to come that evening and into the next few days did not disappoint. We ended up opting not to set out on the yucky roads and hunkered down for the duration of the storm.
The kids got to wake up at Grandma and Grandpa's to see their very own stockings stuffed full and with gifts under the tree. Grant thought it was pretty cool that Santa found us but both kids thought there would be gifts under the tree at home waiting for our arrival as well.
What did I say to that? Notachance!
Grant was the easy one to shop for this year. He wanted and wished for almost everything so how could I go wrong? His main request was the Lego Star Wars and Lego Indiana Jones games for the Wii. I know the pics below are pretty blurry but can't you just feel his excitement???
Little Mae Mae was pretty easy to buy for as well, I just had to try to limit the clothes she received. I have a serious addiction to buying her clothes and I am sure she would have been less than impressed if all she got was clothes.She was pretty excited about the movies she got (love the after Thanksgiving prices on movies...you can hardly rent movies for between $2-$5 so I load up for the year).Since we were stranded up at Grandma and Grandpa's and they do not have a Wii for Grant to try out his coveted new games...
...it was a good thing that Santa decided to bring him a Leapster as well! He was loving the Batman counting and Cars letters/phonics games he got to go with them too. And Little Sissy got some more Play Dough and Silly Putty in her stocking. Let me tell you, this little girl has a serious addiction to Silly Putty. She has it in hand practically at all times when at home.

Weird child.

There is no way she could be mine!

Okay, maybe I am a little weird too, but I by no means have a Silly Putty fetish!Oh, and Missy Moo Moo got a little pink trike from Grandma and Grandpa and a bike helmet from Santa. Wonder how Santa knew she was getting a trike?!?
With all the excitement of the day, Tootie was all tuckered out around lunch time and started to fall asleep on her stool so she cuggled (snuggled) in on Grandma's lap for a little nappy.
This girly rarely ever falls asleep anywhere but in a dark quiet room so I just had to snap a couple of sleepy pictures of the little darlin'.
Grant wasn't about to nap with all of the button pushing and Leapster learning he had to do.
Can you say addicted already!?!
After bath time and while Grant was still in the whirl pool filled with bubbles (Audrey doesn't like the jets or the bubbles so she is out in a flash when there is talk of turning them on). I guess you can say while the cats are away the mice will play...play the Leapster that is!
Uh oh! Busted!
Isn't this the cutest little mugshot you ever did see????
This one is pretty cute too! Notice the always naked baby doll sitting on the steps with her. Why do little girls always have to strip their babies down to nothing?

What is up with that?

We may never know.
Since we got so much snow and the roads were terrible we opted not to drive up to my parents on Christmas Day like we had originally planned and we have rescheduled that get together for this weekend instead. Can't wait to see everyone since we haven't been up to visit since August.
That is about it for Christmas 2009, or in the famous words of Paul Harvey...
Now you know the resssst of the story!

i ♥ faces - 'Hilarious Outtakes!'

i ♥ faces has whole bunches of fun themes coming up in the next few weeks and this week is sure not to disappoint. This weeks photo challenge theme is 'Hilarious Outtakes' so I personally can't wait to check out all of the awesome entries. And the best part about this week's theme...you can enter up to 5 count 'em five photos. Yippee!
Here are my 5 choices:
The first picture was one that was featured on our 2008 Christmas card. It was taken the day after I got my DSLR so it isn't the best picture I have ever taken, but it is a classic outtake if you ask me!I may be a little biased but I ♥ this picture a ton! I love seeing my children play {nicely} together and the pure joy on their face is priceless!
The tongue sticking out picture is a classic of my little Tootie. She was being a little stinker (as usual) and was swiping the white mini pumpkins from her brother because those were the ones he said he wanted.And this sweet fellow is my dear 'ole Daddy. This fall we were 'up north' visiting my parents and the kids were helping them shuck some corn. After a while everyone started getting a little goofy and started making beards out of the corn hair (not sure what it is really called, but corn hair is good enough for me!)And lastly is a precious picture of my little princess picking her nose at her very own Birthday party. This was right before she got busted by my aunt for picking toe jam at the dinner table. Poor girl is going to hate me some day but I think it is priceless!
Make sure to check out all of the other hilarious outtakes over at www.iheartfacs.blogspot.com by clicking on the link below.

The Christmas Princess

Have you ever had a visit from the Christmas Princess?
Well, I have.

And I loved every minute of it!

How 'bout you?

More from the after party

After the big breakfast with Santa on Saturday, we headed back over to Duke's parent's new house. Yes, it is all finished and they moved into it the end of Oct. For those of you who were wondering about the progress, sorry for the lack of updates. The darn house just got finished so fast!
Of course, the house turned out very nice. The kids love it because they have 'their own rooms' upstairs. Funny how they stake claim to rooms in someone elses house! This is the only real 'scenery' picture I took so enjoy a sneak peak at their awesome bedroom set.
The stairs seem to have turned into the hangout for the kids. Although I repeatedly tell them not to play on the stairs for fear of someone falling and cracking their head open (have I mentioned that I am grateful that we live in a patio home and thus don't have that lingering fear).
Yep, my kids listen as well as rocks. At times I wonder why I even try. Especially with Grant. Lately it seems that he doesn't hear a word that comes out of my mouth! Must be a 4 year old thing.
Not sure if I have ever introduced our nephew, Carter. This little stinker was 1 1/2 when I met Duke. As a matter of fact, today he turned 10 years old. Happy Birthday Carter!
Little Audrey Mae Mae (that is what she calls herself...Audrey Mae Mae) found a perch on Grandma Sue's hip.While Granty found a perch on Grandpa O's lap.Grandpa O and Tootie have a pretty special bond. Grandpa really loves on his little girlie's. She loves when he tickles her or 'gets' her.And she is constantly antagonizing him and looking for more!Which of course, she always gets plenty of!So, do you think she kinda resembles her Grandma? I've been told that Audrey looks just like Sue looked as a little girl.

I am sure she doesn't take after me...I was kinda a homely boyish looking thing up until I was two or so!And we'll round this post off with a picture of one of my other nephews, Bailey. You know how teenagers are...it's not too often you can get them to look away from the tv/video game/cell phone to smile for a picture. Well, I got Bailey to smile for me so I declare that one huge leap for mankind!
Now I can rest well tonight.

Breakfast With The Big Guy

It's been a busy week of trying to check all of the must do's off of my list. Christmas shopping is almost done, wrapping is almost done, cards were ordered, stuffed and mailed this week (on top of re-building my entire Christmas address list since I could not find my file anywhere), home made BBQ made and canned today and all ready to make the cookies for Santa this week. Doesn't sound like much, but I am honestly running on fumes right now!
With such a busy week, the kids and I still found time this weekend to drive up to Grandma Sue and Grandpa O's and then headed over to The Landing with Grandma, Auntie Julie and Emily to have breakfast with Santa.
I was simply in love with their decorations. I have been wanting to get some new decorations for our house but if we do find a house or land to build on in the near future, I don't want to have to move it all so I guess ogling at everyone elses cool decorations will have to do for now.The breakfast was yummy and the kids could not wait for the big guy to assume his position right here...
Once he finally took his throne, this little guy was on him like a magnet! Grant was absolutely in awe that the real Santa was there.Audrey wasn't quite as enthused about perching on his lolly lap so the only way to get a picture of her with him was if I held her. She wouldn't even sit on the knee closest to him. The further away, the better in her eyes!Not sure why Grant looks like he is sucking his thumb. Maybe he was coughing. Not sure but this was the best picture we got.
After the photos were taken, out came the bag of goodies, otherwise known as:Not necessarily the words I would have had printed on there, but who am I to question Santa?!If you can't tell from these pictures, Emily was mildly extremely excited that she received a stuffed animal from the Big Guy. Just what she wanted!Grant scored himself a cute little Santa puppy...right up his alley too!And once Tootie saw the other two with their prizes, she opted for a turn to pick her own toy as well.Granted, it was a quick grab with Grandma holding her all the while, but it was progress.We sure had a couple of happy kiddos on our hands on this very day!Not extremely cooperative in the group picture department though. Notice, my kids could not take their eyes off of Santa.
Oh wait! Almost a good shot...
There we go! My two cuties all dressed up and cheezy as can be.
I so very much love making memories with my two favorite kiddos!

Since the kids were all dressed up, I couldn't resist taking more pictures once we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's so keep your eyes peeled for more pic coming soon!