tHe hoLidaZe: paRt 1

well, the holidays are over.

at least until mlk weekend.

i've been a very very bad blogger lately.

but alas, i am resolving to do better in 2012.

i will do better.

starting with our fabulous holidays.

i will say that this year really showed me 

that christmas with kids is way more fun than christmas without kids. 

we had so much fun being with family

and starting some of our own traditions.

some of our pre-christmas activities included...

getting a christmas tree. 

we are not 'cut your own tree down' kind of people.

in fact, this year, we were 

'you run to lowe's and pick up the tree. i'll stay here with the girls' kind of people.

admiring our beautiful lowe's christmas tree.

hanging next to our tree was our advent calendar from last year.

this year to add a little longing into our december, i added a fun little activity for leighton each day.

they were really simple and included things like

go on a pine cone hunt in the backyard, bake cookies, play a christmas matching game.

1st attempt at visiting santa.

we took the girl that i mentor to lunch one saturday and thought it would be fun to visit santa.

unfortunately the person that answered the phone was misinformed and santa was not actually there.

lucky for us though, crafts were!

the girls made ornaments.

the real santa visit.

we met clay at crown center for lunch and santa.

doesn't leighton look excited?

here's miss amelia and her solo shot

we spread out our present opening a little.

my parents sent some gifts up for us and we let leighton open them on christmas eve morning.

look how excited they are about their new wagon!

and last, but not least, i leave you with possibly my favorite picture of all time.

amelia cannot figure out what all this christmas stuff is about!

holidaze part 2 coming soon.