Abb-y-ca-dabba!

We have been very busy the last two days playing with all of our new toys.  Esme really enjoys her new sit and play (darn no pics!).  Stella is still in awe over everything, and seems to have a touch of ADD when it comes to playing.  She is one that can usually do the same activity for as long as you play with her.  I was excited when she settled on art time for quite a while and then followed that with Play-doh.  Then we ran around the house doing magic spells on the dogs (Callie is a wolf and Phoebe is the bat).  Later in the afternoon, she called Santa several times on her play phone and told him to come down her chimney again.  Hmmmm...

 

 

 

My "Pincess Furry"

Christmas...the Event!

Christmas Day:

Morning, Santa Came!

Every "peasant" Stella opened, she wanted to play with right then.  I do love her fairy princess outfit!  "I'm a furry pincess Mama!"
What you didn't see through these pictures: 
- We slept in about an hour (nice if you are not hosting Christmas dinner!). 
- The oven caught fire when it was preheating for the turkey from the cinnamon that flaked off the Monkey Bread (our breakfast) that had risen too high. 
- The toddler who NEVER slept during nap time and greeted her Mama at the bedroom door fully naked holding her diaper that was full of a good size number two. 
- The toddler's room from not napping and taking off a dirty diaper (dresser emptied, floor decorated with babies and stuffed animals all of which resulted in a very large load of laundry because Mama did not want to decide what was clean and what wasn't). 

The Snow...Thursday through Saturday, it snowed.

Ben had to shovel a path for the dogs.

 

She did not want to get dressed. She was perfectly happy to run around in her new penguin socks and rainbow mittens (it was 10 degrees outside).

Christmas from Yaya and Papa!

The pink cowboy hat and horse-y.

The Doll House (one of my favorites).

Dinner...Hmmm...looks like if Mama is cooking pictures are a lacking.  There was fondue, there was wassail, a gingerbread house to be made, a great turkey, undercooked vegetables, a toddler sleeping in a living room chair during dinner since she didn't take a nap, and best of all...great company!

 

She fell asleep in Grammie's arms while reading books.

Christmas with Grammie and Kate:

New soft blankies from Aunt Kate, the girls have slept with them every night since Christmas.

I love the picture of Ben with the girls.  I love this very old quilt.  I love the following picture of Stella making sure  there is nothing else in there...

 

 

 

Christmas with K-K, and THE gift:

 

THE FLY BOAT!!! w/ Ming-Ming, Tuck, and Lenny too!!!

 

The night ended with a good old horse-y ride with Yaya.

The day after Christmas:

More snow...

 

Over the meadow and through the woods to Yaya's and Papa's we go.

A re-gift exchange won us an Obama Chia head.

Yeah, ok, we get that it was supposed to be a joke, but we voted for him, so we will probably grow the fro.

 

Some Wii...that is right, I bowl with a glass of wine in my hand.

And some more Wii...oh boy...that is some serious playing.

Good food, good company, good wine, good wii, great times.

Sunday after Christmas: 

There wouldn't normally be any "peasants" on this day, however, we left the gifts from Ms. Joy in Ben's car Wednesday night.  This was a mistake due to the ice on Thursday preventing us from opening the doors until Sunday when the sun came out.

Stella's first Barbie! Thank you Ms. Joy!

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful thoughts and gifts.  This Christmas was beautiful and memorable.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in our lives.