Christmas Party

Seems i have not been on here as often as things have been happening around here. Christmas has come and passed. I still have Christmas pictures to download from that, however, first was our Christmas party with those friends still lingering around Laramie before heading home or wherever it may be to visit family over the holidays.

We decided that the easiest and least expensive for all of us to get together was a secret santa gift exchange among all of us...That was so much fun and we each brought a different part of the meal or drinks. And let me just add...never let Karl make you a rum and coke unless you want more rum than coke. With that, the night started with chatting, ran through dinner, over to present opening, and on to more chatting. Everybody that was there worked out to be either pregnant, or have a small child. It amazes me how much a group of friends can change in a little over 2 years.

The gift exhange was interesting, a good interesting but i have never seen so much laughter amongs everybody over present unwrapping. As expected, the kids LOVEd their gifts, however, the joy of rolling and jumping into a heap of wrapping paper scattered on the floor seemed to bring just as much happiness as the presents themselves.

If it wasn't rolling in the paper, we allowed the kids to pass out presents in order to feel involved when their luck of a gazelion presents were now unwrapped. That didn't stop them though, they took on the role of unwrapping everybody else's presents. Our little shindig involved enough people to have a kiddy table and another table (pretty much adult kiddos). Our guest list was: Karl, Amber, Gina, and KarlII, Nikki and Gary, Matt and Shebli, Gina and Geoff, and of course our family. It was loads of fun.

I think the highlight of my evening and a little girls was the look of pure excitement/joy/love/happyness, what not of a little girls first barbie. After she opened it and realized it was Barbie, Layla brought her gift to her chest, lifted her head into the air and explaimed "BARBIE!!!!" she danced around with her for a bit and finally let me open her from the box...she had her princess barbie, which now has become a local inhabitant in her crib among the other 17 friends.
Tears streamed from Matt's eyes...i would like to say they were tears of joy from the love of a child opening her first Barbie. Very sweet, however we were all laughing so hard at everything its hard to say exacily what he cried from haha!
Later in the evening, once the sugar of pie and cookies set in, we had baby races. They each throughout the evening had their eyes on a prime "horse" to ride, Aidan chose Matt, and Layla chose Karl, they races back and forth screaming and laughing, even with Barbie too. Fun Times.

I Love You Santa!

This past Friday, we took the kids to a local Credit Union, where Nikki works to see Santa. We did this last year, and although the kids would not sit on his lap last year, they still refused this year. Take that back, Aidan did climb up slowly after 25 minutes of watching other children climb up on his lap, and only a promise for a candy cane. Of course the only picture of that i have not scanned in.

The kids were fortunate to be able to see, talk with, and watch Santa for an hour. C'mon what kids get to do that? I think back to the quick 20 seconds i use to have on Santa's lap, a smile, and crawl on down for the next swarm of children. I can't help but remember the part of the Christmas Story, were Santa pushes him down the slide after saying he will "shoot his eye out" with his request for a Red Ryder BB Gun.

The kids refused to go near Santa for the first 20 minutes, even though Layla was willing to let me put Eeyore on his lap, and myself to show them it was "ok". Eventually someone came up with the idea of popcorn, and even though Kendall wasn't THRILLED to have a picture of the kids 'near' Santa on chairs with popcorn, we both agreed it's better than no picture with Santa at all right? The one we have without popcorn Layla has a big frown, and well Aidan is stealing CandyCanes out of the basket...Once the popcorn came out, Layla shared with everybody, and soon with her new friend Santa who she would be glued to, telling him everything from her "Princess Dress" she had on, to how Eeyore is her real best friend.

Still there was NO sitting on his lap.


Through our hour at the Credit Union, we realized that it was the same Santa from last year, he once was a school teacher for the local schools here, and is fasinated with Layla's speech for a 2 year old. At this point Aidan would rather be eating the 3 Candy canes he horked from Santa's basket and sit by his buddy "Bobbob" while eating them....and the plastic around them.

Having an hour, Layla became very attatched to "Her Santa Clause!" They giggled together, played telephone together, in which she called in her requests for Christmas..."dinosaurs and legos," and insuring that he knew "Santa, it's 'Ayla!" I am still amazed how patient this man was, to sit there and listen to the same 2 year old ramble on and on about whatever fascinates a two-year-old. A few times other children would come in, and she would politely back away and watch as other children would actually SIT on his lap and get a picture.

She STILL would not sit on his lap.


It was nice that someone else beyond the popcorn idea came up with the kids sitting in little chairs next to Santa. That they did willingly, very willingly for Aidan was near the basket of candy canes to grab more...and Layla got to sit there feeding Santa Clause, piece after piece of her popcorn until he finally politely declined...She still gave him more. At one point Santa took a break, a few seconds later we found Layla wandering AFTER him to the bathroom saying "Santa wait up!"

Still Aidan huddled in his corner eating his popcorn and candy canes, gaining more and more ENERGY that later would abrupt within our living room when we got home with loud screams and running like a crazy little kid. After much coaxing Layla to leave, i thought hey PERFECT opportunity "Layla why don't you sit on Santa's lap before we leave for a picture memory??"

Still she would NOT sit on his lap.

Even though they never sat on his lap, except Aidan for a short 7 seconds, they did however willingly and without coaxing gave him a goodbye hug, Layla then looked up at him during the hug and said...

"Santa, I Love You!"

How nice that a man just volunteering his time for 3 hours would look back at the little girl with a smile and a twinkle in his eye and say "Ms. Layla, Santa loves you too!"

Conversations from here and there...

At the Breakfast table:

Aidan: "Mommy, Look! Cow!" As he points to the milk carton's label.
Taking this opportunity i decide to explain a little where the milk came from.

M: "Yes, Aidan that is a cow! Cows produce milk, and through different processes we can get that milk, process it and drink it. Isn't that neat that we drink milk from cows to stay healthy and strong?"

Layla: "No Mommy! Santa makes milk and cookies!!" This coming from out conversation earlier in the week about how we will LEAVE milk and cookies out for Santa this year.

~~~~~

At the dinner table:

M: "Layla, please eat your chicken! Daddy made this great meal, and the lemon peppered chicken is special because it is Mommy's favorite!"
Layla: "Not Mommy's favorite...Penguins are Mommy's favorite!" This coming from her knowing that Penguins are my favorite ANIMAL not favorite animal to EAT. haha.

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Again, Breakfast Table.
Layla: "Mommy, are you happy?"
M. Yes Layla, i am very happy because i am home with you and Aidan! I miss you two when i am away!"
Aidan: "I miss mommy too!"
Layla:"Mommy, you miss Daddy?"
Aidan: "Miss Daddy!"
M: "Yes, I miss Daddy too!"
Layla: "aww, Mommy, you miss your Kendall?"
M: Giggling "Yes, Layla i miss my Kendall."
Layla: "It's ok Mommy, you miss your Kendall!"

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving weekend was nice, a good time to get a break from school, work, and just home in general i guess. Although we had to leave a day early because i was so exhausted, i had a blast with my family!
Zach, Karen, and Mom smiling big waiting patiently to dig into their thanksgiving dinner. It was WONDERFUL! I wish i could have more right now! :) On our menu was Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Cherry pumpkin banana cream pie, and green bean casserole. Oh it was great! Layla and Aidan enjoyed the sweet potatoes the most...Since their Aunt Amber decided to call them "Candy Potatoes". haha.

Greg proudly showing off his Zelda wii game...i think that is what he is doing? Since we only meet around Thanksgiving to get the family together, we always have our Christmas that time too...We go through the secretsanta.com website in order to save money and kids are optional...it is a lot of fun trying to figure out who has you!
One thing that happened was we got my dad addicted to a WII game, ok maybe not addicted but he loved it! :) The kids were tricked to thinking they were playing too, although they had a numbchuck, and game cube remotes unplugged...sweet.
My adorable little neice Adrianna showing off her biggest smile ever in her Santa Hat.
The kids loves sitting at the bar stools together, i am really glad the girls included Aidan more this time around (he usually gets left out a bit by his girl cousins). Although in this picture you would think he doesn't care to be around them by his face haha.
Front view....Sorry i am not in a mood to write more but i have about 50 blocks piled on my lap along with two toddlers trying to play on me with them.