christmas

It happened so fast!!  As I sit here and reflect on the past few days it is a picture of nothing but motion blur in my head.  Christmas tree lights, wrapping paper, tissue paper, toys, food, drinks, games, driving, sleeping, Christmas jammies, Christmas shows, football, and Santa.  It's all in there.  It's a bit overwhelming when I think about having to write it all down but I will try and organize my brain so that you get a clear picture of the pure magicalness that has happened on the east coast....

:: Izzy's Cookie Party
My mom is a brave soul.  I could see me doing this in the future but it would never go off like it did at mom's house.  She bravely and successfully had four toddlers make frosting, frost cookies and eat lunch together.  All with handmade aprons and chef hats on.  Each child went home with their decorated cookies on a plate, wrapped with delightful holiday saran wrap for them to enjoy later.  Watch out Martha Stewart!





:: Cutout Cookie Decorating
An annual tradition that we continue to do each year.  Several people have sat at this table and decorated masterpieces through the years.  This year was no different as the intense display of Christmas cookie decorating commenced in our kitchen.  There were moments of silence when the intensity was heightened  with each stroke of the icing coated knife.  Several cookies were produced that should have made it into a museum but only a few were worthy of the cutout cookie hall of fame.



I could possibly have the camera in Izzy's face too much.  What do you think?




 :: My Third Favorite Place

You've read about my favorite place (aka my happy place) and you probably can guess my second favorite place... my mom's house but my third favorite place is also so incredibley awesome!! It's a place where there are no rules, there is always commotion, there is a magical beer refrigerator in the garage, people think it's cool to wear blue and orange and the company is some of the finest people in Auburn, AL.  Yes, it's my Aunt Donna's house.  We traveled the two hour car ride to her home to celebrate Christmas a couple days early with her, my uncle, three cousins, grandparents, one dog, two puppies, one cat and a partridge in a pear tree!! As always, we had a blast!!  We feasted on ham, hash brown casserole, green beans and rolls as well as a variety of other snacks.  We drank and the magical fridge replenished itself with beer and our glasses were always full.  It was fun!!



Providing us with another awesome portrait by "Donna the Great".




The next morning while my daughter stalked the kitty.....



This amazing man, my uncle, was creating a masterpiece called Chipped Beef.  His is the best.  Hands down.  Think yours is better? I'll punch you in the face.  He only used to make it on Sundays but since we travel afar to see them, we get that pot of gold whenever we want!!  That's how the BoFines roll in Alabama!!



Okay, we know.  Auburn won some kind of championship or something.  (If you have not seen the game or would like to re-watch the championship game, they still have it on their DVR. They won't make you chipped beef though.)



:: Christmas Eve

We always spend Christmas Eve with Chris' family.  We open all our gifts over at Aunt Mary and Uncle Darrell's house with Darrell and Lynda as well.  Again, we ate.  :)  Isn't that what you do for the holidays?  We opened gifts as soon as Darrell Sr. arrived home from work.  Isabelle was more interested in helping everyone open their gifts then she was opening hers.  It was a late night for all as we made our way home in hopes that Santa hadn't fallen asleep and missed our house completely.



Our first Christmas with Lynda and Darrell's dog Murphy.  He is awesome too!



 :: Christmas Day

As usual, Santa didn't forget or disappoint.  We started opening presents at 9AM and the house was destroyed by 10.  We stayed in our pajamas all day and that is just how I wanted it.

This is the Jesus drawer.  This is were all the Jesuses are stored during December.  Emily and I found them and we put them out while mom went to bed.  It was an honor!!  (Please ignore the chili pepper in red.  He watches over and takes care of those little babies each year.)



Rocker face.




Christmas was fun this year but it wasn't what I was expecting out of Izzy.  Her lack of understanding of Santa, him coming at night and her being good didn't make for a huge magical Christmas morning.  She didn't tear through her presents with excitement and surprise.  She was tired and cranky and very overwhelmed.  However, at the end of the day she picked out her favorite gifts and played until 11:30PM.  It was an exhausting day but it was fun.  It was definitely more fun having a young child to share it with.  I can't wait for next Christmas when she is three and half and she will truly know the meaning of Christmas and also the magic of Santa Clause.

Thank you to Santa Mosholder's, Santa Bells, Santa Bonine, Santa Gollihers, Santa Lewis, Santa Campbell and Santa Walkowicz for spoiling Izzy.  We are truly blessed to have such an awesome and giving family.

 

snuggling with santa

Want to know how I know you're the coolest kid on the block?  Because you cut Santa's hair.  No, I'm not talking about me.  Actually I think I'm pretty far from cool but my good friend Felicity is one of the cool kids.  Felicity has cut my hair since I was seven years old.  TWENTY THREE years and running I have been following her around all of Gwinnett and beyond to get my hair cut.  I have put off getting my hair done while we were stationed in Maryland and California until I flew home to Georgia just to get my hair made over.  She is quarky, funny, totally aweomse and when I grow up, I want to be just like her.  :)  Anyway, I digress.... she cuts Santa's hair.  It is totally awesome too!  In exchange for his hair being cut he shows up to her annual Christmas party and brings presents for ALL the kids.  Not only does he bring presents, he gives each kid as much time as they need on Santa's lap.  He listens, laughs, takes pictures, talks to parents, and makes each child feel loved and appreciate from the moment they sit on his lap.

I wasn't sure how meeting him this year would go over with Izzy.  Sometimes she is weird with people and other times she has never met a stranger.  I was hoping and praying that by talking about Santa each day leading up to the event would help ease her mind.  We looked at pictures, sang songs, and talked about what Santa does.  So the big night comes for Santa's arrival at Felicity's house.  I was nervous.  Enter Santa.....




Izzy looked, stared for a few minutes then walked her little Christmas dressed hiney right over to him, pushing her way past all the kids standing around and gave him a big ole hug!!  It was priceless.  Santa stopped what he was doing and hugged her right back.



As Santa made his way to his chair.  Izzy sat across from him patently waiting for her turn to sit on his lap.  I'm not sure what she was going to tell him, if she was going to say anything at all.  She sat and sat and watched other kids get their time with Santa and leave with a gift.  After about the 5th kid, she started getting antsy.  She almost had a break down.  Then it was her turn.....  she crawled in his lap.  Curled right up in his armpit, rubbed the fur on his coat and just snuggled.  She didn't say anything.  She just sat in his arms and cozied right up.  She probably could have sat there all night.  Once Santa realized she just wanted to cuddle he started to talk to her.  Asked her if she has been good, what she wanted for Christmas and to take good care of her toys.  She agreed to all.



The picture above was just before Izzy almost lost her schmidt if she wasn't next to see Santa.  




I was also invited to sit on his lap.  He was awesome.  I'm sure glad I didn't break his leg but he asked me what I wanted.  I was dumbfounded.  What should I say.... so I said clothes! CLOTHES!?!  Out of all the things I could have said,  I said clothes.  I'm definitely not the cool kid.  hehehehe.



Izzy walked away from Santa excited about her gift.  A webkinz reindeer.  Again, he was the coolest and Felicity is awesome for having such cool clients.  I am thankful we got that time with Santa.  I'm hoping she remembers this next year.  Santa isn't scary.  He is totally awesome!!

::

Now that everyone is off from work until the new year.  We have been busy.  Cookies and playing.



Actually reading the recipe card out loud for Oma.  




Izzy has also discovered my piano. She loves to think she is playing a song from the sheet music in front of her and singing along.  She makes me sit and listen and sometimes dance.  Her little fingers peck away at the black and white keys like she is a baby Mozart.  She likes to listen to me play but she LOVES her music better.



Yup, those are big girl panties.  We are slowly trying to get potty trained.  She likes the panties but not the potty part.  She hasn't peed in the potty but has pooed.  It's a good start.  I'm proud of her.




We have a whole week before Santa arrives.  I can't wait to travel to AL to visit family and for Izzy's Christmas party tomorrow with her little friends and for more nights of just being with family.