Santa came to Nona and Granddaddy's!!!

The children woke up quite early but were very good about waiting until we said it was time to go look at what Santa brought. We left out cookies and milk and we made sure to check in the morning that they were gone. Both the older ones found their gifts and started tearing into them. Bella wasn't sure what she was looking for, but seemed to think her new table and chairs were kind of neat- especially since they were just her size. She was pretty quiet, taking it all in, and enjoyed opening up her new sparkly pink shoes. Elias was thrilled because he got what he'd asked Santa for- a Buzz Lightyear, a Woody (both from Toy Story for those of you who are going-who? what?) and a Mack the Truck (this time from the movie Cars).

Talia got a guitar and Tia Cara had fun with it as well. The bee look is "in" this year in case you weren't sure. One day Talia will probably use this picture of her with her first guitar as an album cover...

Family fun on Christmas

Isabella bonding with Granddaddy

Elias and Cara pretending they are lions

Every year Nona gives us all ornaments with a personalized theme revolving around something important that happened in your life that year, or a certain character that the kids really like. Elias got a soccer ball because he learned to play soccer, Bella got a cookie because that's Granddaddy's nickname for her, Andres got a cross since he began seminary, and Julie got a house because we bought a house this year in June. Both the kids AND us the parents look forward to these ornaments every year. Nona looks for them all year long.

Isabella loved putting her ornament on the tree, then taking it off, then on, then off, then on...you get the picture.


Talia and Elias liked helping Tia Cara (the official gift-passer-outer) give out the gifts. It was all harmonious and lovely...and then the paper ball fight began. For more on that, see my sister's blog (link on the right)...

One of Elias' favorite gifts was a dinosaur that roars and moves...his eyes even light up red. Isabella makes sure she's at least a foot away when it's turned on...

Andres got a Wonder Woman figure for his Super Hero collection...he really needed some estrogen in that group :-)

Catherine (Cara's mother-in-law in case you don't know her) is showing our recycled boxes...this one has been used almost every Christmas since Cara got a gift in it when she was about 13. The paper has been around at least 10 years too, and every time it's used Nona writes the year and who is getting the gift in it.

Tia Paola gave us some English crackers that we each popped before lunch. Everyone got a little surprise- pretty fun!]

Bella and Talia going wild. Bella thinks she's the same age as the other two and tries to do everything they do, getting mad when she physically isn't able to do it.

Class trip to Fox Tree Farm

Julie went with Elias and his class on a field trip to Fox Tree Farm in Lexington. It was a lot of fun and Elias was thrilled to have Mamá along. We went on a hay ride, and petted bunnies, birds, llamas, donkeys, sheep, horses, and goats. After that, Mamá along with another mother roasted the hot dogs and the class played outside on the playground. It was really a fun day!






Here's the best we could do for a "class photo". Note to self: it's a bad idea to try to get a group photo after 2 hours of running around, lunch, and pre-nap time.

Fun at the Arthurs'

Today we went to visit one of my bestest friends Leigh Ann Arthur, in Florence, SC where I the 2 of us grew up. Her children are Drew (3) and Will (6 months). Drew and Elias decorated cookies, and Isabella sprinkled joy (and lots of mess) from above. It's so odd that Leigh Ann and I, who used to bounce balls in the mall until we were asked to leave and make fur ball noises are now "mothers" and having "play dates". Weird, but cool too. :-)

How to enjoy a granola bar...

I realize I have a lot of face-shots of Bella recently. She's in this really cute photogenic stage where she loves to cheese for the camera.
Here she is eating a granola bar and cheesin' it up...

Our first gingerbread house!

When Isabella turned one, I had a realization that she was growing up way too fast, and that I didn't have the time that I felt I needed with both her and Elias. I almost quit work entirely but then realized that my job is my OTHER baby, and I love what I do, and couldn't give it up entirely and feel good about it. So, I spoke with my superiors and wrote a grant-reallocation request, and am now working 3 days a week. 2 days a week, the kids and I stay home together doing fun stuff and some rather normal-mundane stuff too, mostly enjoying some quality time. As any parent knows, those QT days aren't all bliss and rainbows, but it's been fun to come up with neat activities and just "hang out" without the pressures of "what I have to do this evening to get ready for work and school tomorrow". Here we are last week attempting our first gingerbread house. NOTE TO SELF AND ANYONE WHO'LL LISTEN: Put the actual house together by yourself, when your small children aren't around, then let them loose with the decorating. I tried to let them construct it and it was disastrous. ;-) They did a fabulous job decorating it though...as you see here. Elias came up with some great design techniques such as a door mat and door decorations, and Bella pretty much figured out how to get the ones she wanted off the house and into her mouth without us knowing until it was too late...and too slobbery to put back on.

Bath towel snugglin'

Elias and Bella have gotten to the stage where they really enjoy being around each other (most of the time!) Here they are after a bath snugglin' and being silly


Elias trying to imitate the Bella-cheese!

This is a familiar sight (and sound!) "Let's see who can AHHH the loudest!!!"

The many hairdo's of Bella

She's got a ton of hair for a 14- month old- and we never quite know what to do with it!