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!