2012 is here...but this is how we finished up 2011

The holidays seem to have flown by and we enjoyed every minute of it.  Well, I am not so sure that Addy enjoyed the multiple times we took her to see Santa.  But, B and Addy did enjoy the feast of St. Nicholas to kick off the holiday season.

My mom and dad came down the first weekend in December to watch B play basketball.  Mom brought gingerbread houses for the kids to make but as you can see the kids weren't the only ones participating in the fun.

We opted to get our tree from Home Depot this year.  (Can't say that we will go there again next year, the tree was a good price but it was dropping a lot of needles by Christmas.)  The kids spent the afternoon decorating the tree while Jeff watched the 9er game and I worked on my Christmas projects.

The Coldani's stopped by for a short visit on their way home from SoCal.  The girls enjoyed a some time at the beach including getting "soaking wet."

Addy's first Santa experience this year was at Snow Day in Los Osos with the Schafers.  We ended up having a pic taken of B and Mikayla cause Addy and Blake weren't so keen on seeing Santa.  A little bribery ended up working with Blake, but not for Addy.  She was more interested in the sledding that she insisted on going by herself.

A couple days later we met Michelle in Slo and this is the closest Addy would get to Santa.  She did give him a wave or two.

My good friend, Julie and her family, gave B a great gift that gave him the opportunity to learn that it is better to give than receive and the true spirit of Christmas.  His present was a gift card along with a note that said he was to spend part of the card on a gift for someone in need.  We had a couple discussion on how and who the gift should be to and he choose the local police departments toy drive.  So early Friday morning before school we dropped off the gift, got a pancake breakfast, and had yet another chance to see Santa.

With our ornaments in handed and prepared for our performance, we headed to Grandma Aurelie's Christmas party.  My Grandma's Christmas parties are some of my fondest memories from my childhood, so I am glad that the family traditions have stayed strong.  The parties are always filled with lots of laughter, the Christmas spirit, and a tad bit of sheninghans.

After spending the day in Prunedale, we made our way to Livermore to visit with Jeff's brother's family and celebrate.  Addy and B enjoyed spending time and playing with their cousins.

We spent the week before Christmas finishing up our projects.

At the end of the week, we headed to the Red Dirt Christmas Party for some ALOHA and yet another visit with Santa.

B and Addy made giant gingerbread men for Santa, exchanged their gifts to each other, and headed to bed because "the sooner and longer you sleep the sooner Santa will be here and the better the presents will be."

Santa made it!  And the kids enjoyed every minute of opening gifts Christmas morning.

After they finished opening gifts, my mom and dad arrived and they got to do it all over again.  We finished off our day with a "Linner" together.

There was even enough time to do a little sword fighting with Poppa.