Macie and I were SO excited that Christmas was coming! We once school was out, we spent our days doing all sorts of fun Christmas related things.
Our favorite was the going to the Train Park to see all the decorations. Just like last year, they had lights, cutouts, and characters everywhere!!!
Macie still enjoyed riding the train most of all!
While waiting for the night lights to come one, Macie and I played at the playground. We had all sorts of fun together.
Before we knew it, the day before Christmas had arrived. Macie and I were SO excited we could barely contain ourselves. While Mom was making breakfast, we both sat down to work on our Christmas lists for Santa.
In my letter I wrote: "Santa, may I PLEASE have a piano and a doll for Christmas".
Macie wrote her name and drew a picture of an Angry Bird next to a Drum Kit!
Our day was spent helping Mom run errands and prepare for the feast we were going to have later that evening. Because we were such great helpers, she let us watch Mickey's Christmas Carol in front of the fire before getting dressed for church.
Dressed in our Christmas outfits from Mom, the whole family (including Aunt Hayley, John, and Uncle Will) went to Church for the family service. Uncle Will was kind enough to take a few pictures of everyone before the service began.
Macie and I both wanted to give the baby some special kisses in Mommy's tummy- look how big she is getting!!!
The family had a nice time at church. Macie sat high on top of Uncle Will's shoulders and sang at the top of her lungs when the orchestra began playing "Go Tell it on the Mountain." It was really cute...
After church we rushed home so that Mom could finish preparing our feast. Macie and I changed into some play clothes, and Aunt Hayley and John took the opportunity to change into their festive Christmas attire (which Hayley designed and made herself).
Uncle Will carved helped Mom out by carving the turkey,
and Mom kept popping up in the background to photo bomb his pictures...
Finally the feast was ready, and we all dug in.
Apparently some of us were more hungry than others...
We all sat down at the table for a nice Holiday dinner, and after Macie and I both said grace, everyone dug in.
It didn't take long for everyone to start being silly...
After dinner, everyone was stuffed full of thanksgiving style food, and Aunt Hayley joked that she ate so much she looked like Mom...
After watching the Grinch we sat down in front of the computer to watch our videos from Santa.
We were both fascinated by our messages, and watched them twice to make sure we heard Santa correctly say that we were on his good list this year!
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Macie was BEYOND thrilled when she opened an Angry Bird game,
and I was pretty excited when I opened up a new set of Bob books!
Aunt Hayley surprised Mom with a Christmas gift this year, and Mom gave it two thumbs up!
Once all the gifts were open we sat down to play with Macie's new game, and she gave us one of her best "angry" faces while opening the box:
The game was really cool, and Macie loved knocking things down!
Aunt Hayley had a pretty fun time with it too...
While we were playing, Mom snuck into the kitchen and opened a gift from Uncle Will- She immeadiately dove her teeth into it...
As the night wound down, Dad grabbed a bottle of wine and his guitar and played us a few tunes.
Mom and I sat on the couch together and I read her two of my new books- she barely had to help me out with any words!!!
Before bed, Macie, Mom, and I set out our letters for Santa. We made sure to place them next to a plate of yummy cookies and milk so that Santa could have a quick snack.
Macie and I were so tired from a long day of fun that it didn't take Mom and Dad long to get us to bed. Once we were sound asleep, Mom and Dad cleaned up and relaxed in front of the fire.
Dad made sure to grab a mid night snack before sitting down...
EARLY the next morning, both Macie and I woke up eager to see if Santa had come. Poor Mom and Dad were exhausted (since the sun still hadn't come up), some Mom waddled out of the bedroom and put on some Christmas cartoons for us to watch while Mom and Dad got a little more sleep. As much fun as it was watching cartoons, Macie and I couldn't wait to get downstairs. Finally, Mom and Dad couldn't stand the pestering any longer and got themselves up. Mom snapped a few pictures of Macie and me in our Christmas jammies before we ran down the stairs.
Wow; what a sight!!!
Santa had brought us a piano and a drum kit, WOW!!!
I posed next to my stocking gifts and my piano,
while Macie banged her new angry bird on the drums!
Mom spent most of the morning snapping pictures of Macie and I, but to her dismay she later learned that there was no memory card in her camera. Good thing for cell phone cameras, or we wouldn't have any Christmas pictures at all!
After opening our Santa gifts, the family sat down for breakfast.
We were being SUPER silly, and by the look on Mom's face, she clearly didn't "get" our humor...
After breakfast we sat down in front of the tree to open some more gifts.
By lunch time we were pooped! Mom cleaned up the house while Macie and I played with some of our new toys. In the afternoon Uncle Will came over and we played some games of our own.
Here is a game I call the Tower of Terror (from California Adventure):
And here is another game called "Soarin over California" (another ride at CA Adventure):
We spent our afternoon having all sorts of fun. The family even took a bike ride together to look at some Christmas lights around the neighborhood. When we returned home we ate dinner and, after dressing for bed, sat down to play our new piano.
Christmas was a special day, and we were grateful to be at home with one another.
In the days following Christmas the family spent lots of time at home. I gave Macie "piano lessons",
and together we played our instruments and serenaded Mom with sounds of the season.
Before long, it was back to business as usual. Classes resumed at Yoga and I was glad to be back!
Grandma Judy surprised us by coming to stay with us through the new year, and Macie and I LOVED playing at home with Grandma. We kept busy doing lots of coloring, playing, laughing and swimming (at the indoor pool at lifetime).
Before we knew it, 2012 was coming to an end. Macie and I stayed up until 8pm, and before bed, with Grandma's help went out into the yard and banged pots and pans to ring in the New Year. After Macie and I went to bed, Mom and Dad went to a movie and Mom actually made it to midnight this year (the first time in a long time).
Our family celebrated the New Year together by participating in Lifetime's commitment day 5K. Mom ran the race while Dad pushed Macie and I in the stroller. After Mom completed her 5K, she jogged back and finished the race with our family.
It was a great way to ring in the New Year together!
So many great things happened in 2012, and SO MANY more wonderful things are going to be happening in 2013. Our new baby sister is going to be here very soon, and our family can't wait to celebrate her arrival!!! Here's to an AMAZING 2013, one filled with love and blessings to all!!!!
