The reason for the season!

Home Life...

Let's start with some Zoe Creations...

Still has impeccable fashion sense.  Oh, how I would love to wear tights under shorts. Seriously.

She would make an amazing architect with her building and creative skills.  She knew Dad had it all wrong.  That's the roof not the siding.

Zoe was a little let down that Dad couldn't match the picture on the box.  The gingerbread house actually has the same square footage as our first home on Van Buren.

"Look Mom, this bat has a mermaid tail - is that silly?"

Christmas at Disney.

We met a few of our friends...

We kicked off the trip by getting our Wilderness Explorer badges from Russell.

Dad is standing in for Woody - who seemed to disappear when Presley showed up.

Here I go again...just like the 80s video...not really.

This one's for your locker Carter.  (Zoe's friend back in MT)

Yes, we finally saw Woody.  He was safe on his pony.

Presley being escorted away from her new favorite Disney characters - Phineas & Ferb.

She joined the dance party and danced awesome!  So much fun.

We spotted Ariel just as she left her treasure trove. 

Hi - Ho, Hi - Ho, It's off to work we go.

No line is too long to meet Rapunzel.

Presley was pumped Santa Claus understood what she wanted... Just Dance 3 for XBOX!

Oh ya!

We did some other stuff too...

We spun in some cups.

Took a coke break, or as Presley calls it "Coco"

Found some bubbles. Like I said, Presley can always find the true fun to be had.

and more Coco.

NIB

 Sam's Town

Riley

Keeping a low profile on the LA metro. 

suitcase surprise!

Don't worry Mom - I got this, no choking hazard here. Sam screams her bloody head off when there is a lolly-pop in  sight. She loves um.

 Home Making...

For those Christmas ornaments that you don't want ripped from your tree and thrown into the air to be shattered from impact, hang from a light fixture to create a Christmas chandelier.

 Home School...

Make Presley peel her own orange and call it OT and pre-writing.

Home Flashback...

then

now

Flashback Christmas Surprise Challenge (for our Rapid City friends)!

Guess Who??????? 

 Merry Christmas!

Ya know how they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words"...not always true. Yes, the above pictures look like we had the time of our lives at Disneyland, and in some ways we truly did. But, with this blog, I always want to be completely honest. So honestly, Disneyland can be a lot of stress too. For instance, we attached a GPS locator to Presley to minimize stress. But, on the second day she ditched her Fannie-pack containing the GPS (I just love fannie packs...can't wait till they come back in) and it took us nearly half a day to find the GPS. A true marital test! (We scored a D) Yes, I realize the irony! The vacation was full of all kinds of things...love, laughs, hugs, squeals, dancing, temper tantrums, blaming, bickering, melancholic feelings of missing family/home, and "accidents"...which brings me full circle to the picture above... Presley had an "accident". We were stressed, couldn't wait to leave the park, but still Mark pulls out the camera and captures this beautiful picture of Presley. Yes, the picture says a lot, but not everything. I guess I am sharing this because sometimes when you think everything should be grand and full of  pure joy (like Disneyland) and instead parts of it just stink...it is a reminder that nothing in life can give you that...only Jesus...the reason for the season!

Time to Get Your Christmas Hat On!

Thanksgiving is over. Now, on to bigger and better things...like Christmas. For me, Thanksgiving has turned into the "opening act" for Christmas anyway. It should serve to put one's heart in the right place for the season of charity and celebrating the birth of our Lord. Unfortunately, sometimes it (Thanksgiving) doesn't do its job and the very next day you have crazy people making the news at Walmart for running, pushing, and using pepper spray to have an upper hand on grabbing the Door Busters. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Door Busters. But, come on! What a joke. Okay, that's all.

 Here is a glimpse at our Thanksgiving week. Oh ya, in California, you get a whole week off for Thanksgiving. California needs more time to get Thankful...bunch of whiners around here. Seriously.

I love green bean casserole. I love Cream of Mushroom Soup. Did you hear that Mark? I love Cream of Mushroom Soup!

I made Pumpkin Cheesecake instead of Pumpkin Pie for the main reason being (nobody is going to believe me except Kristie)...I don't like pie. Gross.

Seriously, use this link and make this instead of pie next time.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/double-layer-pumpkin-cheesecake-2/detail.aspx

Zoe had some trouble with the Turkey

Really had to think about it. Turned out she is an American and likes Turkey along with the rest of us.

Mark made caramel corn. I was going to post the recipe, but he needs to start his own blog because he is awesome.

Melt chocolate almond bark and throw in some chopped pecans. Dip pretzels. Really good.

Zoe reflecting on why her cousins live across the continent from us. Not cool on Thanksgiving.

Also not cool, Mark swinging Sam at the speed of light.

Really not cool, Sam's favorite place to hang out. She was bummed the lid was down this time and  couldn't play in the water. Gross. Way too many times!

Coordinating outfits. I was actually going to try to take some Christmas card photos here, but as you can see by the look on Sam's face, this was all I got. 

Super not cool, Presley gets this bag out of the freezer numerous times daily to get her fruit intake. Then, she proceeds to wipe her hands and face off on the bed comforters throughout the house.  

Zoe has discovered her love for paint by numbers. Thanks Aunt Lucy. 

Zoe's Creations. Here she used the scarf Kristie knitted for her to make a  wrap sort of thing. Wore it all day.

Do you see that thing in Sam's mouth? What is it? Get it out. Stop taking pictures and get it out!

Still healing from the self-inflicted forehead wound.

Please don't worry about the corn dog, hot dog, Doritos, and Coke. Look at Presley's fingers. That is what they do when she is really enjoying her food. I love those fat short crazy fingers.

More crazy fingers. Sam loves to point her finger, have you point your finger, touch  fingers, make a connection, and then do it a million more times. Kids are funny.

Time to get your Christmas hat on!!!