Christmas Vacation

We are alive we have just been trying to get settled in.  We moved in and five days later we left for 18 days for the holidays.  Fortunately my family had come down and helped us move in and so we were pretty much settled before we left.  But we have had problems getting phone/internet.  You would think we lived in the middle of nowhere instead of one of the most populated cities in America.  Oh well.  But back to our Christmas.  Since we moved right in the middle of December we didn't decorate, but I still wanted to feel like it was the holidays so we tried to do our normal traditions.  We went to Disneyland to watch see the decorations and the fireworks, we went to our Ward Christmas party (even though it was on the day we moved), Lexie made an adorable angel in the nativity.  And we managed to make treats for friends.  And since Santa was at the ward Christmas party we met him too.   

Lexie excited to Santa Claus as he walked by her to his chair.

Joshua not so excited.

We first drove to Idaho but we got a late start since the 15 freeway leaving California was closed due to snow.  So we stopped at BJ's house.  We pulled in at 2am and pulled out at noon.  When we opened the door this is what we found.  Snow!!!  The kids were excited to play in it for a minute but we were not excited about driving in it.  When we finally reached Idaho we were able to relax and really enjoy the holidays.  Eric and I finally went Christmas shopping.  We went and saw Australia and The Day the Earth Stood Still.  We ate tons of junk food and I mean tons.  But what are the holidays without junk food.  We worked on puzzles and I scrapbooked.  And since it snowed alot while we were there the kids played in that.  I didn't have any snow clothes for them and since I didn't want to buy some and have them outgrow them before the next time we would use them so we just bundled them up in lots of layers.  As soon as the snow soaked through Joshua was done--but Lexie would stay out there forever if she could.  It didn't seem to bother her that she was wet and cold.  

Lexie trying to get covered in as much snow as possible.  

Our snowman.  The snow was never right for building a snowman so we did the best we could.  Isn't it a cute little E.T.?  This was pretty much my first time playing in the snow and Eric said I wouldn't last and I said I could until Lexie wanted to go in.  By the end I was pretty manipulative in promising Lexie many things if she was ready to go in.  But I lasted until she went in.  So ha Eric.

Eric's parents found this jacket for Joshua.  He loved it.  It was a Cars jacket and he didn't want to take it off.  He was funny because it pinched his neck and squeezed his cheeks up but he didn't seem to mind.  He couldn't be very mobile in his jacket but he didn't seem to mind.  This was his normal stance due to not being able to move.  

Christmas Eve we read the Christmas story and sang all the Christmas songs with all the verses from the hymn book.  Lexie lasted the whole time.  Not so much with Joshua.  Then the kids got to open a present from Grandma and Grandpa.  Eric's mom made the kids pajamas and they were a huge hit.  Joshua had cars and Lexie and Tamsen princesses.  Joshua's jammies make him look so grown up but he loves to wear them.  It is hard to get him out of them.  

Lexie's theme this year was anything Disney.  She asked for a castle, Tinkerbell the movie, Belle Barbie with a horse and then a Belle piggy bank.  She was so excited when Santa brought it all.  The castle was a hit and she could be found playing it often.  Then she got Disney clothes and disney princess Barbie dolls.  

Joshua's theme was trains, planes and automobiles.  He loved his train set from Santa and this is how we found him the rest of our stay.  Since getting back we haven't taken down the train tracks because he is always playing with them.  Before Christmas he had picked out a roll of Cars wrapping paper.  I wrapped a lot of his presents in it because that is what I had.  But come Christmas morning he would not open anything that wasn't wrapped in cars.  It was quite funny how he argued with us when trying to hand him a present wrapped in normal old christmas paper because it wasn't his.  I swear the kid is obsessed with Cars and Thomas and Firetrucks.  

The family room after all the festivities were over.  That is the sad part for me.  

Me scrap booking.  I was proud with how much I was able to get done. 

Eric's parents live on a culdesac and one of the days Eric took the kids "sledding".  He tied one end of a rope to a sled and the other end to his dad's truck and then his brother drove them up and down the street.  The kids loved it.  They just wanted to go again and again.  Unfortunately, while we were doing it a fire truck pulled in front of a neighbors house.  Joshua was so excited to see the fire truck.  But the firemen told us we couldn't sled anymore.  Oh well I was getting cold so I was fine with stopping. 

 

Joshua in his "winter" clothes before the Cars jacket.  Isn't he cute?