12/25/12

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all of my friends, family and blog readers (assuming they still exist!). I hope everyone is able to spend some time with loved ones, enjoying the magic, wonder and reason for this day.

The girls were up bright and early this morning, but stayed in their room and played for a while, so at least got that. I finally rolled out of bed and went in to get them. I didn't say anything about Christmas, just waiting to see what their natural reactions would be. Olivia immediately ran to the plate of cookies to check on them. Sure enough, Santa had eaten his cookies and drank his milk, and Olivia was SO excited about it. She couldn't believe it, it was really cute. They started dancing and running around like usual, and after a few minutes they finally noticed all of the presents under the tree. The joy and wonder on their faces was just amazing. They couldn't believe they had all of these exciting packages under the tree, just waiting for them to rip open. And, of course, it didn't take them long to get to it. Olivia knew her presents were wrapped in the princess paper, and Amelia knew her's were in the Winnie the Pooh paper. So, they gathered up their packages and got to work....even Chuy got himself some new, fancy bones!

In the end, Olivia got an Art Studio/Easel, a box full of art supplies (finger paints, paint, markers, paper, glitter glue, paint brushes), the "Brave" movie, a box of clothes (two pairs of jeans, two shirts, and a package of underwear), and Candyland. Amelia got the "Bounce Bounce Tigger", a highchair and good for her babydolls, a box of clothes (three shirts and a package of underwear) and a bag of random doll accessories. I found every single thing I bought them on sale, some of them for REALLY cheap, so it was a good year for them! Once they opened everything up and did a little playing, Olivia spotted their full stockings. Again, joy and wonder. It was so cute.

Christian and I exchanged gifts as well. I got him a Twins hat, two sweaters and a gift card to get a pair of jeans. He got me three shirts and some PJ pants. YAY!

Once everything was opened and the house was officially a disaster, we had breakfast. Thanks to Pinterest, we had a yummy crockpot French Toast souffle. It was delicious! We all showered and got ready, and were on our way!

First up we spent the day at my Grandparents' house, like usual. My Grandma moved into a nursing home over the simmer for Alzheimer/dimensia, so we weren't sure if she'd make it to Christmas. Sure enough, my Grandpa got her to come, and she did great. She probably didn't really remember most of  us, and she was definitely saying some random, off the wall things all day, but she was there, she seemed happy, and it felt like we were whole. We ate dinner, did lots of playing, chatting and catching up, opened presents and it was a great day. THIS, is Christmas to me. Love it!

Our gift to our Grandparents was an updated picture of all of the grandkids. We took one about 11 years ago for them, and my Grandpa, in passing, mentioned that he'd like a new one. So, we got together a few weeks ago to take it. It turned out so great, and we even managed to get in basically the same place.

We finally called it a night, and made our way to our next destination. Back to my in-laws. My sister-in-law couldn't make it yesterday because her girls were with their dad, so she spent the day with Christian's parents today. We couldn't stay long, but we stopped over to exchange gifts with her, and sing Happy Birthday to our oldest niece, Aliana. She turned 8 today - it's so hard to believe! The girls had a blast checking out their gifts and running around together...it's so great to see them all together, being all girly and crazy. It just warms my heart!

Finally, we called it a night. We made our way home, the girls went straight to bed, and we could barely move off of the couch. I'm really kicking myself for not taking tomorrow off. Shoot, had I known I'd be off on Monday, I would have taken tomorrow and Thursday off (Friday is my day off) and had the whole week off. Dang.

It's always sad seeing Christmas come to a close. Luckily, we still have Christmas at my dad's this upcoming weekend, and still have to get together with my mom...so, at least we can drag it out a bit.

12/24/12

It's officially here! It's Christmas Eve!!! Even though it feels like it was JUST Christmas, I'm so excited it's back again. I don't care how old I get, there is something magical about Christmas that I just can't get enough of. I just LOVE it!

Christian was off to work bright and early this morning. The girls actually slept until a decent time, which was nice. We spent the morning playing, eating some breakfast...the usual. Then, Buddy made his final visit for the year. Per tradition, he showed up with a Christmas Eve box for the girls...Christmas jammies and a Christmas movie. This year, he brought them the Dora Christmas movie and they were so excited. They got right in their jammie and popped the movie in. It was a great way to pass some time, that's for sure! After the movie, we had a quick lunch, the girls went down for their naps, and I showered and got ready the day. Christian arrived home just as they were waking up, and jumped in the shower himself.

Next, we were off to celebrate or first Christmas. We spent the evening at my in-laws house. We had some finger food and snacks, listened to some music, opened presents, watched a Christmas movie and played with the girls. It was actually a pretty low key, fun night (let me tell you, that's not usually the case with them...).

Finally, we made our way home. We quick baked some cookies and put some out, along with some milk, for Santa, and the girls were off to bed. I'm hoping that the super late night will mean they'll sleep in a little. But, it's unlikely. Christian and I gathered up all of the presents, put them under the tree and filled their stockings. We are SO ready for Christmas morning, and I'm so excited. I can't wait to see how they react this year. It's going to be so fun!

12/23/12

Today was a busy day! I was too lazy to move Olivia to her own bed last night, so I left her in bed with us. Amelia actually slept in this morning, so Olivia and I relaxed and watched some morning cartoons. I left her to shower and get ready for the day, and by the time I was done, Amelia was up. I sent them off to bug Christian while I made dinner and got them down to eat some breakfast. Finally, got them dressed and ready for the day. We had some final shopping to get done, and I was definitely worried about the crowds.

Amelia and I were off to do our shopping. First up, we hit the mall. I picked up a few things for Christian, and Old Navy happened to be having an AMAZING sale, so I picked up a few things for myself. I grabbed my usual mall treat, an Orange Juilus, and we were off to our next destination. Next, a quick stop at Menards to grab a gift card. Finally, Target for our weekly shopping/final Christmas shopping. We flew right threw and were finally done for the day. I grabbed us some Taco Bell for lunch on the way home, but Amelia passed out. She officially shopped til she dropped! So, she went down for a nap while I ate lunch and wrapped Christian's gift.

Christian spent the day shopping with his mom and Olivia. They arrived home shortly after I did, and Olivia went down for her nap.

Once naps were over, it was time to get ready for our next event. Our friends were stopping over to bring us some Christmas cookies, so I offered to cook some dinner so we could hang out and have a little play date. The girls had a blast with Olivia's BFF, Bella. Christian and Mariano were inseparable all night, like usual. I'm glad Christian has found somebody he really connects with. They have a similar background, they're from the same place, they have a ton in common. I definitely sense a bromance forming! Sara and I got in plenty of conversation and laughs too. It's nice to finally have a family (close by) that we connect with to spend time with. YAY for new friends!

Eventually, they headed home and the girls went down for bed. Since I don't have to work tomorrow, I spent the night catching up on some Dexter while Christian went to bed. Another weekend comes to an end...kind of anyway...

While they were out, Olivia convinced Christian that she NEEDED Jingle, the dog from Hallmark. Of course, she has him wrapped around her finger..so he did buy it. Therefore, tonight, Buddy brought Olivia her very own puppy. She has not put it down, and is obsessed with it, so I guess it was at least a good purchase. I will say, he is pretty cute. Ugh, what a pushover!

12/22/12

Today started off a little rough. The girls were up too early, and continued their fighting, whining and chaos from last night. Ugh, it was a LONG morning. To top it off, I got a text from Christian bright and early, letting me know that his mom apparently works on Monday. Thanks for the last minute notice - not like I need to actually REQUEST time off work or anything like that. SERIOUSLY, like again, for the millionth time, I cannot wait to put the girls in school full time! So, I was pretty annoyed, nice an early.

We made it through breakfast and some play time. The girls rummaged through our entry closet, and Olivia spent the day walking around in and trying on all of my shows. At least somebody gets to wear my super cute shoes...

We made it through the morning...breakfast, play (a midst the fighting) some TV watching, lunch, and FINALLY naps. Naps - they've never come at a better time!

Christian was home by the time the girls got up from their naps. He brought home some pizza for dinner and we hung out for the evening. Buddy brought us a gingerbread tree to put together tonight (I thought we should try that vs. the house in hopes the girls could help out with it more), so we put that together after dinner. Christian ended up going over to spend some time with Mariano tonight. Which gave me plenty of quiet time to surf the internet and catch up on the DVR. Just a nice, relaxing night. I'll take it!

Here are some pictures of our tree building. I'm not very creative, so I thought I'd try to just copy the picture on the box. As you can see by the last picture, clearly I nailed it....

12/21/12

Not much to report on today. Work was work, pretty standard day. My mom watched the girls, and she actually stopped into work with them for a visit. I just love seeing them during the day like that :) After work I picked them up and we made our way home, waiting for Christian.

But, the night went differently than expected. We were supposed to go to a graduation party tonight...BUT, the girls were out of control. I'm not sure why, but when the girls are with our mom's, they don't seem to cooperate with their naps. I don't know why - they are fine for me, and at school. So, Olivia didn't really take a nap today, and Amelia not as long as she normally would (though, you have to remember, our kids are freaks and typically nap for at least 2.5-3 hours, if not longer), so they were tired and crabby. They were fighting non-stop, not listening and just driving me up the wall. By the time Christian got home, I had basically had it. So, we decided it would be best to stay home.

Christian's friend from work called and wanted to stop over and hang out for a bit. It worked out well for us too, because I was really craving a good Mexican Torta, and he has a good Mexican Market by him, so he picked some up on his way over. SCORE! Amelia ate and went to bed, Olivia hung out with us for a bit, and then we watched a movie after she went to bed. Christian has to work in the morning, so Lorenzo didn't stay too long. I watched some more Dexter before passing out for the night. Another week down, and now we're officially heading into Christmas. AWESOME!!!

Tonight, we fond Buddy reading a book to all of his little friends. What a nice guy!

12/20/12

Another busy day for us. We were off to work and school this morning, like usual. The girls donned their cute little Christmas shirts, ready for their Holiday Party! Cuties :)

It was fairly quiet at work today, so I got a TON of work done. Even though I still have a nice stack in my inbox, I don't have anything that's a super big rush, which is much different than that past few months...and feels good. I did take a long lunch today to run and FINALLY pick up the "Once Upon a Child" gift card we won a few months ago, and I stopped into the Post Office to mail my package. I thought for sure it would take me forever, but I was in and out in no time. Awesome! AND, I did end up leaving work a tad early. All of the classes at the girls' school were putting on a little show at their Holiday Party tonight, so I had to make sure I was there on time for that!

The show was so cute. Amelia's class all just stood there with their fingers in their mouths while the teachers sang. Some of the kids in Olivia's class were all about it and sang/screamed at the top of their lungs, while others were pretty shy. Olivia was somewhere in the middle. The Pre-K class was pretty funny too - they were much more together for their performance. The girls were each sent home with some candy and a book, and they were so excited. Fun!

It was getting pretty late by the time we got home. We are dinner and took it easy. I don't know what we're going to do when all of the Holiday and Birthday fun is over!

Tonight, we found Buddy doing a little ice fishing on the deck. Funny guy...

12/19/12

Today was a pretty busy day. Work has been crazy, and we had our Holiday Potluck - of course I ate WAY too much (cannot wait until the 1st when I can refocus and re-motivate myself!). I ended up leaving a bit early to run a couple errands. I needed to stop at Walmart to print some pictures and pick up a few things, and then I wanted to stop at the Post Office to mail a package to a friend. Of course, it took me WAY longer at Walmart than I anticipated, so the Post Office will have to wait. By the time I finished at Walmart and got the package ready to go, it was time to pick up the girls. So, off I went!

I did have a difficult day though. The Sandy Hook shooting is still stuck in my mind. I try not to let things get to me, and I definitely try not to live in fear of any kind. But, this has really got me shaken up. It's been nerve-racking leaving the girls at school this week. I mean...it's a secure building. You need a code to get in the door, and there's only one entrance to the building. BUT, that didn't stop this guy, and that is stuck in my head. I'm just hoping that this feeling passes soon...because I don't like it, and it's not me. Until then, they will just continue to get longer-than-usual, uncomfortable, embarrassing hugs and big huge kisses at drop off and pick up, in front of all their friends!

Once we made our way home, we just had another standard evening. The girls did find that Buddy had used his little elf magic to turn out milk green, and whip up some Santa Claus cupcakes. YUM!

12/18/12

Today was a busy day at work - catching up from the weekend and my day off yesterday. I didn't get anything done at home like I intended - I just wasn't in the mood, so I just took the time instead. Who needs leave time anyway, right?!?

Of course Christian gets busier and busier the closer we get to the Holidays. His cubicle is officially set up, computers and all, so he's officially important :) The company's union Contract is up in a few months - they've been on a 5 year pay freeze - so we're hoping that means good things in the coming months. Only time will tell...

After work, I picked up the girls. Olivia is still transitioning to the Pre-Kindergarten room. She does basically a half day in each room, and seems to be enjoying it. It turns out the Pre-K teacher is one of our neighbors down the street. She's worked there FOREVER, and is a really sweet lady. That makes me a lot more comfortable with the transition. AND, it turns out Olivia's current Pre-School teacher is leaving the center...she's going to be an Assistant Director at another Center, and she leaves in a couple weeks. So, the transition might be coming at the perfect time. Amelia is doing as good as ever - she loves her teachers and her little friends, and they all just adore her. YAY!

Our evening was another pretty standard one....dinner, play, baths and bed. Another day in paradise :)

Tonight, Buddy rode into town on a new dancing/singing snowman (from Hallmark - I collect them, I just love them). The girls were so excited, they think these guys are hilarious!

12/17/12

So, as planned, I was off to work this morning for a few hours. I got some rush stuff taken care of and cleared some work out of my in box. I packed up some work (just in case I felt like putting some time in) and made my way home. Christian quickly showered, got ready and was on his way to work. The girls ate some lunch, and it was nap time before I knew it.

While the girls napped, I got ALL of our Christmas gifts wrapped! Go me!!! I just need to pick up one last gift card, and, if we decided to exchange gifts, something for Christian and we'll be set for the year. Can't wait, I just LOVE Christmas :)

Olivia woke up while I was wrapping and "helped" me finish up. Once Amelia was awake, it was basically time for dinner. Christian arrived home, we ate and had a low key night. My favorite kind!

Tonight, the girls found Buddy having a little rave with the princesses. PARTY TIME!!!

12/16/12

Today was a pretty good Sunday. I had a little bit of a nagging headache all day, but nothing I couldn't push through. We started the day off at Perkins for breakfast. YUM!

I spent the day doing some laundry, and took Olivia on a run to the Target. Picked up some groceries for the week, picked up a few more Christmas gifts. We had a great day together!

The girls went down for their naps when we got home, and Christian and I relaxed for a while. Watched some football - Vikings won, we're still in the hunt for a playoff spot. FINGERS CROSSED!

After naps, we spent the night doing the usual...playing, dinner, watching some TV. Amelia was acting kind of funny. She wouldn't really eat, was REALLY whiny, and complained that her ear hurt. We have her some Tylenol and after a little rest on the couch, she was back to playing and running around like normal. Hopefully it was just some drainage or something, and not a full on infection. Poor thing.

Bedtime came before we knew it...and Monday was upon us. It won't be a typical Monday though...my mother in law works tomorrow. Christian is going to be with them in the morning while I go in and get a few things done at work, then I'll be coming home to take over. I've said it a million times - but I really can't wait until they are in school full time!

Today, Buddy was found taking a marshmallow bubble bath tonight. The girls thought it was pretty hilarious...I'm guessing he is just exhausted from all his trips to and from the North Pole :)