Weekend Wrap-Up: The I-Love-the-Holidays Edition!

Seriously.  I love this time of year.  The time of year when I can get out my Glee Christmas music on the ipod, gaze at our little Christmas tree and just smile. 

We were able to relax and enjoy the weekend as well. 

Saturday
Cal and I were up sort of early and I just watched her play in the glow of the twinkle lights.  There's nothing like a little creative play with the nativity set!



Later in the morning we went to "the garden store" for a holiday bazaar.  Santa was there, but a certain toddler didn't even want to look at him from afar.  She did get her face painted and agreed to take a picture by the little wooden Santa by the exit.

So another reason why I love the holidays is because of the awesome tackiness that comes out in the form of lawn displays.  I took Kona for an walk in the afternoon and we passed by some fabulously ridiculous holiday displays. 

Exhibit #1: The Inflatables that are never inflated during the day.

I apologize for the crappy picture.  But I didn't want to appear to be a creepy stalker taking a picture of their house.

Exhibit #2: Gigantic Santa and Reindeer Inflatables.

Ho ho ho-ly cow those guys are HUGE!

And last but not least, Exhibit #2:  The Inflatable NATIVITY SCENE.  Yes.  INFLATABLE NATIVITY SCENE.

Wow.  That is all I can say.

I texted all these pictures to my friend Adrea (who also enjoys the ridiculousness of these displays) and we had the following conversation:
Me: Inflatable nativity!!!  Score!!!
A: Noooooooooooo!!!! I love this game!
Me: Notice the tipped over animals that add to the class of the whole scene.
A: They are praying!  Wait...They are playing dead so people won't think they're involved in this ridiculous display...
Me: Hahahaha...gosh it's embarrassing to be an inflatable sheep around the holidays.
A: Imagine how it feels to be the ass (donkey that is...)
Me: Love it! :)

I thought those were pretty entertaining so I hope you enjoyed them too.  And I hope I didn't offend you if you have your own holiday displays.  They really are awesome. :)

Anyway...later in the evening we went to a party and Chris' aunt Karen's house and Callie had fun bouncing around on their big couches.

Sunday
There was Sunday school this morning and nap time.  During nap time my sisters and I went out to lunch and then to the salon I go to for a holiday open house.   It was great to get a little free pampering!  After nap time we headed to the condo to hang with Boom and Bops.

 And we finished the evening at G-ma and G-pa's for a little play time.

Animals in a bucket

So in less than 3 weeks we are going to have a three-year-old.  Unbelievable.  Seriously.  But obviously I'm loving that it is December.  So many fun things going on and so much to look forward to.

Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump-Friday

Favorite Thing #1- Hanging out with babies.  This one is Baby Avery.

Favorite Thing #2- Callie actually wanting to decorate our little tree this year.

Favorite Thing #3- An ornament from my childhood that had a Hershey Kiss inside.  I'm guessing it may be 7-10 years old.

Favorite Thing #4- Our Christmas things are out...

Favorite Thing #5-...and you can see them from outside.

Favorite Thing #6- Daddy/Toddler cuddles while watching princess clips.

Favorite Thing #7- My school is cool enough to host a Luche Libre wrestling show because the kids LOVE it. Hilarious.

My Subliminal Messages are Working: QOTD

I haven't been shy about sharing that the road to three has been challenging these days.

So it is no accident that our bedtime books for the past couple of weeks have been these wonderful selections:

Tonight my subliminal messaging via children's literature totally paid off.

While at dinner, totally out of the  blue.

Callie: (looking at Chris) I love you Daddy!
Chris: I love you too kiddo.
Callie: (looking at me) I love you too, Mommy!
Me: I love you too Punkin Pie.
Callie: (looking back and forth at both of us) You're the BEST mommy and daddy in the WHOLE WORLD!

And then we both melted.

And then it took five minutes for both of us to try and get her coat on to go home.

Toddler-hood is super-melt-your-heart-fantastic and super-drive-you-nuts-frustrating all at the same time.  It's a wild ride.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Well, this is going to be a pretty short weekend wrap-up.  We didn't do too much and I didn't take many pictures...

Friday
One of the highlights of the weekend was hanging out at the Johnson's house on Friday night.  Callie and Donald got to play together after not seeing each other for a really long time!  It was a super fun night with the cousins. :)

Saturday
I took zero pictures on Saturday.  Zilch!  Cal and I went to Southdale in the morning and then had a fairly rough afternoon for nap time and beyond...then we dropped her off at my parents' for the night and had a date night with our friends Jenna and Andy.  It was nice to be adults-only for an evening and to have a lovely meal without chasing toddlers around!  We also got some good laughs at a comedy club.

Sunday
Another lazy day after Sunday school...we went for a walk and played downstairs.

Love those little feet!

And now I have the house to myself while Callie and Chris have a daddy/daughter bonding time.  Chris worked A LOT this weekend as the crazy holiday shopping season began, so he took the opportunity to spend some alone time with his girl and give me my own alone time.  And they're going to Auntie Cat's for some Auntie Cat, G-ma and G-pa time too.  Lucky girl!  Pa sent me a picture of the girls.

Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump Friday

Seeing as I was home WAY more this week than last week, and it was a holiday, I have many more pictures to share on this FTPDF.

Favorite Thing #1: My girls (as always!)

Favorite Thing #2: The crazy Christmas house on our block!

Favorite Thing #3: How she can look so sweet and yet be so naughty!

Favorite Thing #4: Crazy MN weather!

Favorite Thing #5: Making cookies

Favorite Thing #6: She's old enough to have a Thanksgiving job!

Favorite Thing #7: Dancing to the Thanksgiving parade

Favorite Thing #8: Hot punch!

Favorite Thing #9: Beautiful table

Favorite Thing #10: Peek-a-boo in a box!

Favorite Thing #11: The fact that my husband dropped his phone in the crack of the chair

Favorite Thing #12: Auntie time :)

Favorite Thing #13: Pumpkin Pie for my Punkin Pie!

Favorite Thing #14: This crazy guy

Favorite Thing # 15: Family time

Favorite Thing # 16: Snow!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

35-Months-Old on Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!  This girl is ONE MONTH away from being a THREE-YEAR-OLD.

"I'm a monkey in a tree!  Can you put some bananas up here?"

Birthday parties are already being planned.  Presents are being purchased.  This month is going to whiz by and we won't be able to stop it.

But today we will pause...take time to eat, play and be thankful.  I hope you are able to do the same.

Happy Thanksgiving!

QOTD: Oh, the Irony

Driving home after Callie spent the morning with G-ma at Bible class.

Me: So what was your favorite part of Bible class?
Callie: Singing the "obey" song!
Me: What is the obey song? I don't know that one.
Callie: (sings something I can't understand)
Me: Do you know what "obey" means?
Callie: Yeah!  We have to obey our doggies, mommies and daddies!

Let's just say I kept that conversation going a LONG time, given the stage we're in right now.