Christmas Day

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was a little different than we planned.  We had planned to wake up rushed, open present from Santa and head up to Minnesota.  But because things changed-we ended up staying home for Christmas day because I wasn't up to traveling.  So John woke up early and went out to do cattle chores and Elsie and I snuggled.  She saw the gifts under the tree but waiting very patiently for John to come home to open them all up.  

From Santa Elsie received: 

, a Minnie Mouse Color and Sticker book, the book "Jamberry", and a stocking full of play doh, hair clips and bands, a new battery operated Dora toothbrush and toothpaste, and 

 a grocery cart full of Melissa and Doug grocery boxes and cans

A Minnie Mouse Coloring Book

The Book Jamberry

And a stocking filled with a new battery operated Dora toothbrush, toothpaste, 

playdoh, and hair accessories

After presents we ate a yummy breakfast made by John then got ready and headed back over to his parents to celebrate the day.  We had lunch there, spent some time visiting with his family, and played the dice game.  It was a nice afternoon.  

Christmas at Home

This year Christmas didn't really go the way we planned.  Between other family being sick and some stuff coming up unexpectedly in our household most of our plans went down the drain and we had to change things up.  We did end up making it to all but one of six family celebrations.  And some had to be changed to a different day.  Despite everything we were going through, we did have a wonderful Christmas and it was just SO much fun with Elsie this year!  I can imagine next year will only be better.

On Sunday Dec 22nd we were supposed to get together with John's immediate family but Emma had been sick off and on for the past few days with a fever so we decided to push it back to Christmas Eve day.  So instead we decided to celebrate Christmas as our little family.  I wasn't sure what we would eat because I had cleaned out our fridge, didn't have anything taken out of the freezer, and we were planning on leaving to go to MN two days later so we didn't have much fresh food.  We invited Dale and Bev over for dinner and Bev offered to bring over the lasagna and fruit pizza she had made when she thought we would all be getting together at her house.  It worked out perfect!

So they came over, Elsie opened up her presents (as well as John and I) and we just relaxed for the evening.  It was wonderful!

Melissa and Doug Reusable Sticker Pad

Water Doodle Pad

I also want to add since we switched from celebrating our Christmas from Monday to Sunday, John and I were frantically trying to finish painting Elsie's dollhouse during nap time since we were going to give it to her that night.

This year we gave her the book "The Mitten" by Jan Brett, Melissa and Doug Reusable stickers (She just loves playing with stickers), a pink MN Twins outfit,  Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Barn, and her dollhouse, doll family, the kitchen and kids room set, and the car.  Dale and Bev also brought over a few things for her to open-the tent and the water doodle pad.  John gave me a tripod for the camera, a wireless remote for the camera, onion goggles, and a salad dressing bottle so I can make my salad dressings from scratch.  Elsie and I gave John a new change jar that counts the money as you put it in, a trunk locker for his golf shoes and accessories, a new golf towel, balls, and tees, and a 3 piece Dremel tool kit.

Sporting my new onion goggles! They are amazing!

John has really enjoyed making things for Elsie over the past year and I though this would be perfect for all our DIY projects around the house and for his projects he makes.

This next series of pictures showcases the wonderful dollhouse John made for Elsie!  It was a big hit!  

We wrapped up the little dollhouse family and when she opened them up we told her they needed a home and that she should go look for a house for them.  It didn't take her long to figure the big object covered up by the sheet in our dining room was their new home :)

And she went right to work putting them right where she wanted them.  

We didn't buy all the furniture sets for each room in the house.  For Christmas we furnished the house with a kitchen and the kid's room.  We also gave her a little family car.  We did ask other family members to help when asking for ideas for Elsie we gave them some rooms that needed furniture such as the living room, bathroom, Master bedroom, and also a little set of pets.  So for now she is set, although there are MANY more sets of furniture and accessories to buy.  This particular brand of toys also carries a swing set, a patio set, a vegetable garden, a flower garden, and a BBQ set.  But for now she has a nice start and we can build upon it as the years go by.  The house has nine rooms in it so we use 6-7 rooms as the dollhouse and the top two outside spaces are used as a bookshelf and it works perfectly since we moved her bookshelf out of her room to make room for the dollhouse.  We also have plans to do some decorating in the house.  We would love to put up some "wallpaper" and add some rugs and figure out a paint color for the trim so I guess you can say it is still as wok in progress.  

After supper we let Elsie play some more and she loved playing inside her new tent which features a light at the top that shines various colored stars all over the tent. 

After playing for but I realized we forgot to give Elsie one of her presents (thats when you realize your probably gave too many).  But she loved it!  Her Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Barn.  (We LOVE Melissa and Doug products)

It was a wonderful night to kick off our many Christmas celebrations! 

Christmas in Minnesota-Outside Fun

The Friday after Christmas we finally decided we were going to travel up to Minnesota to celebrate Christmas with my family.  We left after later in the afternoon so we didn't arrive up there until later on Friday night.

Saturday we hung around my parents house.  It was a beautiful day and thought it would be fun to play outside so my dad used the snow blower and blew a pile of snow to make a little hill.  It worked out perfect!

You know it is a nice day in Minnesota when you are just sitting outside enjoying a beer :)

I wasn't sure what Elsie would think but she LOVED sledding!!!  

We all took a turn going down the little hill with her.  This little mound of snow was perfect for her!! 

Tally had a lot of fun playing in the snow too!!!  I think she could have been out there all day long!  

After some sledding we determined the snow was perfect to build a snowman.  

And of course I just had to post this video of Elsie.  Her laughter is contagious.  

Breakfast with Santa

On Saturday Dec. 14th we went to Breakfast with Santa in our community.  IT isn't the most elaborate breakfast or event but it supports the community I guess.  This was my third year going-the first time was when I was pregnant with Elsie and I went with some friends and their kids.  Last year we went with my parents and this year we got to go with my parents, John's parents, and my sister and her family.  They were all down for Elsie's birthday party.  

I wasn't sure how Elsie would do because when we went to visit him the first time over Thanksgiving it did not go well.  This time around she wasn't scared at all.  I couldn't get a smile out of her but there were no tears either.  I think it helped that Santa was walking around when we first got there and in fact, helped carry Elsie to the table as I balanced plates of food for Allie and Elsie in my arms.  

Piper wasn't too happy :)

Elsie was pretty interested in the little candy cane that they gave her.  

I was just happy she sat in his lap :)

Thanksgiving and Hollidazzle Parade

This year for Thanksgiving we traveled up to Minnesota.  It was the first time being up in MN since over a year before Elsie was born.  In 2011, we would have gone up but travel was restricted because it was so close to our due date.  

We had a lovely time with my immediate family, both my Grandmother's and my Uncle Rob and his family.  Of course my brother and Magda were not there but we did get a good skype session in during the afternoon.  The rest of the weekend was equally as nice.  I had some time to catch up with my friend Erin over lunch at Rockwoods on Friday, went to Macys and the Hollidazzle parade Friday night (more on this further down) and then on Saturday had brunch with Josh, Liz and Jake and did some shopping alone with John Saturday afternoon.  Saturday evening we ate dinner with my family and then took off home with a pit stop to see my friend Randi, her family, and their beautiful new home!  We finally made it home around midnight that night.  It was such a great weekend filled with family and friends!!!

Like I mentioned above, Friday afternoon/evening we went to Macy's Santaland and the Hollidazzle parade.  It is the last year that the Hollidazzle Parade is happening so I knew I had to take Elsie just one time and this is the only weekend we will be around when it was happening.  We went with my parents, sister and her two girls.  It was WONDERFUL!  Every bit of it!  I absolutely love the excitement Elsie has right now.  

She had to be the one to push Piper in the stroller.  

Waiting in line for SAntaland.  In years past this line has been incredibly long!  

I think we only waiting for 10 minutes tops!  I think we timed it just right because when we were exiting the lines was at least three times longer than when we got there.  

We waited in line to see Santa and like the other line, it wasn't long at all.  Which was perfect because Elsie wasn't too impressed.  Before we saw Santa we tried to tell her that when you see Santa you can tell him some things you want for Christmas.  I mentioned something like "Minnie Mouse Toys".  Well she definitely got the wrong idea...She thought Santa was going to give her Minnie Toys right then and there.  Oops  I guess we didn't explain it well.  Well the poor girl was dissapointed and kept asking for her Minnie Toys all night long.  

After our visit with Santa, we grabbed some dinner up at the Cafe on the 12th Floor of Macy's.  I am not sure what it was called but it was perfect for us!  It was cafeteria style so you just went up and ordered your food and brought it back to your table.  No waiting for a waitress or for you food.  

After dinner we went back to the cars, got all bundled up and made our way down to the street to find out spot to watch the parade.  We had to wait about 30 minutes until the parade started.  The girls did pretty good but Piper got a little restless.  It was a little chilly but for MN it definitely could have been much worse.  But like I said, it was so worth it all!!!

Elsie and Allie watched the parade right from the curb and it was so fun to watch them.  Elsie would lean way out to look down the street to see which one was coming next.  When she would see one she would scream "coming, coming" and do a little wiggle.  She would wave to the floats, dance to the music, and cheer!  It was so perfect!!!