Looking back it all seems like such a blur. I feel like we crammed the 12 days of Christmas into 4 short days. We had a lot to do, and so little time to do it, but it was amazing all the same.
We arrived on Christmas eve morning where Aunties Ali and Ivy were waiting impatiently at the airport for us. Sam and I had been up since 1:30 am AZ time (I did get a nap in on the drive to the airport) so we were a little wired. Mabel was a trooper to say the least. She was happy as can be when I picked her up from bed and put her in her car seat at 2:00 am and I don't think she cried once at the airport or on the plane. She immediately started showing off for her Aunties. Once we arrived at Grandma's, after a good nap and bath, the festivities began.
The Weather in North Dakota this Christmas was not typical. Most of my North Dakota Christmas memories, in fact all of them, give me visions of 12 foot snow drifts and leave me with chills at the thought of -40 degree days. We had no snow, which I wasn't sad about and it was actually +40 degrees most of the time we were there.
Christmas eve we were joined by my cousin Nichole and her ever so entertaining 8 year old, Jayce, as well as my Uncle JP. Mabel loves Jayce, I think it's the combo of curly hair and personality, he's got a lot of both.
Christmas Morning we all slept in until after 9:00 am. Even though I swore to everyone we should go to 10:00 am mass so we could be back in time to let Mabel take her coveted morning nap. We even put a pot of money on weather or not my brother Josh, who is 22, would meet us there. We ended up making the decision to go at 11:30 and turns out Josh showed up to church on time as requested at 10:00 am with no sign of his family. He was happy he got the pot of money.
We all watched as Mabel opened up her gifts from Santa. It took her awhile to understand that these were presents for her. When I handed her her stocking she dumped the contents of it out and tried to put it on her foot :)
Finally, her very own tooth brush! She was very excited.
We look like a tired bunch...
Santa brought Mabel Rock and Roll Elmo. She had seen him in the store so many times and even thrown a few fits when we would leave without him.
Elmo was a hit and we all had his songs stuck in our heads for the rest of the day.
Elmo even got his teeth brushed.
I love Mabel's, "I just woke up from a good nap" look.
My Mom had Sam in the kitchen showing off his skills.
When I was little my Mom would dress us kids in coordinating outfits for the Holidays. One year it was red corduroy and I didn't particularly love it back then. Isn't it funny how the first Christmas dress I pick for my daughter is non other than red corduroy.
She looked so sweet with her little peter pan collar and black-and-white saddle shoes (that didn't stay on long), while steeling Christmas ornaments off Grandma's tree.
Taking pictures in front of the tree is a must at our house and I wanted to get our little family before dinner where Mabel usually ends up wearing a few courses.
After dinner we all settled into our spots in the living room so the children, Ivy and Mabel, could tear into their gifts.
Mabel got spoiled as well as everyone else. Every year before opening gifts my Mom always says something along the lines of "Don't get too excited, I didn't get much". The reality is we usually get much more.
Mabel got several books which we had to read on the spot. I try to read to her whenever she asks no matter what I'm doing. I love her love of books and never want it to fade away.
And to finish off the evening, another attempt at pictures in front of the tree. It usually takes a few tries before getting a half decent one. Someday I would love to get all the pictures together from over the years of us kids posed in front of the tree. Now I'm not talking about the good ones that get sent to family or used on the Christmas card, I'm talking the ones in between, where we can be seen fighting, rolling our eyes, or laughing at my moms crazy attempts to get us to smile
A perfect Christmas for all. The End.
