Christmas #2 and New Years- Boston Style!

A few days after Christmas we flew to Grandma (Mimi!) and Grandpa's house to have our second Christmas and to celebrate New Years. Kaitlyn and Mikey were SO spoiled by everyone and had so much fun playing with Ryan and John. Kaitlyn especially loved watching The Little Mermaid (17 times) with Mimi and Auntie Kelli.

Santa Came!!!

Opening Presents at Tim and Kerri's

T'was the Night Before Christmas.....

The kids got bathed and then put on their matching jammies. Per Daddy's tradition, the kids were able to each pick a present on Christmas Eve (dad's tradition is that the kids get to open presents from the siblings). Kaitlyn picked one for her..... and Mikey since he really doesn't know what's going on (and let's face it, neither does she, really!). Kaitlyn got a set of colored beads! Mikey got a sit to stand activity walker (Yea! Somthing else to make noise in the house).

After the excitement of gifts, what is there left to do, but go to bed right? Wait! Don't forget to leave Santa his treats. Kaitlyn and I made Santa some pepperment kiss cookies earlier so he would have a delicious snack. She left some milk to wash them down too. We decided to leave them by the fireplace, of course.

Long after the kids went to sleep, I heard  some noises downstairs. I crept downstairs and must have just missed the big guy and this is what he left:

Christmas Eve...Eve

After dinner, we gave the kids their baths and put them in their pj's and then put them in the car to go take a ride around town to look at Christmas lights! Kaitlyn even got a mug of 'hot chocolate' for the ride. I wasn't sure if Kaitlyn would enjoy it or not, but boy did she! Every time we came to a good (or even not so good) light display, all you could hear from the back seat was 'Wow!!!!!' It was pretty awesome! We're already planning next year on the great places to take them!

We're ready to go!

'Wow!!!!.... Wow!!!!!'

And let's not forget about the stunning lights and pretty bows on this one!!

Christmas Traditions: Blowing Rock, NC

So, we're beginning to create our own Christmas traditions with family and friends and this one is going to be one of my favorites! We went to Blowing Rock, NC to pick and cut down a Christmas tree with some of our close friends the Passatores and Cheneys. We started with breakfast at Cracker Barrel where Mikey and Kaitlyn had biscuits and pancakes!

Then we drove to the mountains listening to and singing Christmas carols (Daddy loved that part!). We got to the Christmas tree farm where we got to ride on a tractor (I think Kaitlyn's favorite part!) and go pick out our tree. Kaitlyn and Mikey even borrowed a saw from our neighbor to help cut it down (the farm hands thought that was a riot!) The winner was chosen by Kaitlyn and I think is mighty fine if I do say so myself!!

View from the road of miles of Christmas Trees

I'll take this one!

'I got it!'

After the perfect tree was all packed up, we decided to swing over and visit Mast General Store which was originally opened in 1882! We stocked up on candy from the penny candy barrels! There was a special visitor there too taking a little break from his Christmas work..... Santa! Kaitlyn and Mikey weren't too sure about saying hello since their last visit didn't go too well. The workers at the store had some awesome crafts for Kaitlyn to try like coloring and also helped her make an ornament for our new tree! By the time she finished that, she decided she wanted to give Santa a 'high-five' and she yelled 'Bye!!!' (He also gave her a FULL SIZE candy cane which she figured out how to get into in about 3.2 seconds...... Thanks, Santa.)

Mikey decided Santa was ok as long as he was getting food

Kaitlyn was NOT into Santa, but WAS into the crafts!!

Making a cool ornament

Santa a safe distance rocking in the background!

Deciding that Santa's not so bad after all and he gets a high five

Kaitlyn's picture hanging for all to see at the Store!

And the finished product: