For Your Amusement, Chewy Opening His Xmas Presents

Happy New Year!

Though our New Year's Eve wasn't all that eventful, since it was well past our bedtime and Daddy had the stomach flu, we've still been having some fun with our new Xmas present.  Thanks for the balloon kit, Auntie Misty, and Happy New Year, all!

Secret Santa Party

We had our annual secret santa party for all Mom and Dad's friends' kiddos (they're our friends too!).  Here's a shot of just the kids (and Chewy), and then the whole crew.

Back Row L to R: Kristine, Pete M., Peter S., Scott, Leslie, Brenda, Kim, Mom, Tommy
Kids in center row: CJ, Jake, Isaac, Evan, Luke
Front Row: Dustin, Henry, Miles, Robby, me, Kara, Avery, Lizzy, Kate S., Stacy, Carmela, Danielle

No one could believe we got a picture of pretty much everyone looking at the camera.  Here's the silly celebratory shot.

And the obligatory self-portrait.  Fun!

Christmas Day

Nana, Uncle Stuart, Kyle, and Niki came over on Christmas Day.  We played with play-doh, and then got to open our presents!

Kyle's Hungry Hungry Hippos game was a big hit...

For a looooong time.

Tommy loved his new planes, and put them in his Propwash Junction playset.

Zoom!

While Tommy was napping, Kyle and I rode our bikes...

And then I backed mini-pies with Nana.

Thanks for the fun, Nana!  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Happy Birthday, 3 year old boy!

We got a little cake for Tommy and Mommy, and he got to blow out the candles on Christmas Eve.

Then we made some cookies for Santa, and set them out with milk in the Chewbacca mug.

He must have appreciated it, because we got just what we asked for.  The Lego Friends Dolphin Cuiser!!!

A rocketship!!!

Thanks, Santa!

Elf on the Shelf

I had lots of fun looking for our elf, Happy, every morning leading up to Christmas.  The last night he was here we found him clutching the camera, and this was what was on it: 

Crazy Christmas Lights

We went back to Fountain Valley again this year to see the house with the craziest lights ever, and it did not disappoint.  

Their neighbors pulled out all the stops, too!

Holiday Princess Party

They had a holiday princess party downtown last week, and we got to go!  The princesses sang songs...

And then we got to meet them and take pictures with them.  I brought a bracelet to give to Ariel, my favorite princess, but she wasn't there.  So I gave it to Sleeping Beauty, my second favorite.

Tommy said his favorite princess was Cinderella, so he waited in line to meet her instead.

Then we both met Tiana...

And Belle.

By the time we met Snow White, Tommy had lost the ability to smile normally, and this was all we could get out of him.

Then the princesses sang another song.  As you can see from the picture, it's safe to say I liked it A LOT!

They also had a guy there called "Bubbleman".  See the huge bubble he made above our heads?  We had lots of fun chasing and popping them.

Before we left, we got to see Santa again and remind him what we wanted for Christmas.  

Potty Training

Tommy's been a big boy about going potty in the toilet lately, and has even been staying dry in his big boy undies most days.  We're proud of him!  But we're still looking for the perfect bribe to get him to consistently poop in the toilet.  We are open to suggestions.

Non-Xmas Stuff

In addition to all our pre-Xmas fun, we've managed to fit in time for snuggling with our poodle...

And with each other.  

We've also had fun bundling up and going for walks at night to see all the Christmas lights in our neighborhood.

Don't worry, I may look like I'm being electrocuted, but I'm just having fun.  

Gingerbread Houses

Nana sent us two gingerbread houses to decorate!

We were both very excited, and tried our best not to eat all the decorations, with mild success. 

Tommy decided to shove his gingerbread boy inside the his house, but then missed him and wanted him back, so Mom had to get him out with chopsticks because the little door was so narrow.  

Tommy then bit the leg off the gingerbread dog (and hung it on the tree outside the house), the shoulder off the girl, the feet off the boy, and ate the whole lower half of the woman's body.  His gingerbread house is cute, but a little creepy as a result.  

Mine, however, is cuteness perfected.  Thanks, Nana!

Xmas at Disney

Did I mention they had all the holiday decorations up at Disneyland?

"It's a Small World" was probably the most impressive show of lights.


But we were too distracted to care because we spotted Princess Merida from Brave in front of it.    

Once it got dark we could really appreciate all the lights and decorations.

 Check out the castle behind me on the carousel!




We bundled up because it got COLD.  We kept warm chasing Pluto around...

Riding on Dumbo...

Which is still my favorite...

And spinning on the teacups. 

Faster, Daddy, faster!



Maybe we shouldn't have gone on the teacups right after dinner...

By the time we were ready for pictures in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle, Tommy was done.  

But we had a magical time for his early 3rd birthday.