Chrismtas has come and gone!

Merry Christmas Everyone!  We have a had very busy last couple of weeks.  B had his school Christmas performance.  Grandma Henri drove down to watch and to use her new camera.

That same weekend we traveled to Prunedale for the Garcia Family Christmas Party.  It was great to see all of the family for the holiday.  We put all the little cousins on the couch together and it was like paparizzi with all the people taking pictures of them.

We spent the next few days getting ready for Christmas.  Baking for the neighbors and Jeff's work which was a bit of a challenge this year.  I did have a little helper but sometimes I am not sure we got our measurements quite right.  A littlest helper made sure that our baking times weren't always accurate.

And we squeezed in a quick trip to see Santa.  This year because of all the Santa questions we kept our fingers crossed that it wasn't the same Santa as last year. Because when he say my Cuesta softball jacket,  he asked if I coached softball and preceded to tell all about his travel softball coaching career, how many players he has at the college softball level...yadda yadda..HEY SANTA, this was all at the North Pole RIGHT?  Well, it was but this year I didn't wear any softball gear.

B went to bed early on Christmas eve in hopes that Santa would be here sooner.  And woke up even earlier, he opened his stocking right away.  We were able to get him to wait open his presents until Addy woke up (which I believe he woke her up when he went to "check on her").  He got Rock Band, which let's just say we are getting better at it.  Addy got Sophie the giraffe.  My parents got here around noon and spent the day with us.  The "Santa" who leaves gifts for B in Prunedale brought him a bike.  He was very excited.

As I mentioned on Facebook, I am the Dark Side, a Decepticon, Cobra, or any villian for that matter.  Thanks to his presents from his Grandparents in Turkey.  I am frequently attacked by Nerf guns.  And to make matters worse, I thought Addy would be on my side in this battle of Good v. Evil.  But she is not....

Addy is 3 months & More Christmas

Addy is 3 months.  She is beginning to smile and laugh more as you can see from the pictures.  Although she didn't have very many smiles when we went to Sears to have portraits taken. C'mon really the girl was lame who tickles a 3 month to get them to smile and shoves a stuffed something in her face.   I think Addy was thinking that "Stupid people just aren't funny."  But she is the professional and I am not as you can tell from the unsuccessful attempts to get a pic of B and Addy from the Christmas cards.

B is totally in the Christmas spirit.  We have been with many "craft" projects and holiday.  But, highlight of it all is the Lego Advent Calendar.  He is gets a new piece to build everyday.

A Little Closer to Christmas...

When we got home from choosing the tree,  Jeff and kids decorated while I attending a Velocity board meeting.  They did an awesome job.  Addy slept in the swing while the boys took care of the tree.  After the board meeting it was a great to come home to the Christmas spirit.

Over the weekend, we headed to Ray and Amy's in Yucipa for an annual Christmas party.  The group of guys that Jeff went to college with (and plays fantasy football) have a Christmas party every year that it rotates from families.  Here is a picture of the little boys before the gift exchange making eachother smell their feet.  Why am I not surprised?  We are talking about the sons of the guys who go to Vegas to draft their fantasy football teams.

After the long drive home, Branden didn't let us forget even though he was half asleep that we needed to celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas.  Celebrating the Feast of St. Nicholas is a tradition passed along to B from the Minton family.  This year he sent out his boots (actually there were his very first pair of boots) and his sister's Nikes.

There were also several questions about the difference between St. Nicholas and Santa Claus.  I explained it in terms of Pokemon that Santa Claus is the "evolved" St. Nicholas.  But the first one is often the best one like Pikachu.  He seemed to understand.  (side note:  The big kids on the bus told him that Santa Claus wasn't real.  I told him that everyone has the choice to believe or not and I guess they choose not to.  I asked him if believes he said Yes.  He asked if I believed and I told him I did.)

For all you Addy fans, here is a pic in her Christmas sleeper.

It's beginning to look like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Gingerbread houses with the cousins and Grandma Henri's

B's Family Holiday Tree Project  

Btw kids are so mean, one told him it looked like a baby made his tree.  I thought we did and pretty good job and you can tell he is proud of it too.

Picking out the tree...Addy didn't want that one.  

We told her she can pick out the tree next year.

Thanksgiving in Prunedale

Hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  We spent the holiday with my family in Prunedale.  Auntie Gail thanks  for hosting!  My brother, Luke checked in it was great to hear his voice and that he is doing well.  And my brother Josh showed in time to eat.  So, my mom was a happy camper.  Here are some pics from the day.

my brother Josh and his family

Auntie Jeannie with Addy and Grandma with Olivia

With Grandmama watching Uncle Joe playing the concertina. 
(I have been informed that it is not  an accordion)

This was after Amber and I invaded Uncle Joe's music room to feed the babies.  Needless to say he was a little shocked when he walked in on us.

Addy and I hung out at my parents for the next couple of days.

We got breakfast at Uncle Mike's one morning.  It was yummy as always.  I also have some good pics of Auntie Jeannie and Addy playing but Auntie is in her bathrobe. I didn't think she would appreciate it if I posted them.  But here's a pic on Addy on the couch in the hat Karen made.

We did a little bit of shopping but mainly just hung out.  The the boys headed to Livermore to visit Jeff's brother's family.  The kids had fun playing together and even went to the library.

On Sunday, Jeff and I went to 9er game, which they won:)  It was the first time I left Addy to do more than the grocery store.  I teared up a little when we went out of the driveway.  Addy did well with her grandparents took the bottle and a couple of naps with Poppa holding her off course.

It was a great trip.  Now we are home getting ready for Christmas...