Wishful Wednesday ... Santa

Today is Kelsey's last "Wishful Wednesday" for 2009! The topic is "what Santa forgot". Well, I am so blessed with such an incredible husband and loving family.. that Santa really didn't forget anything! If there was one thing though that I'm dying for and still haven't given in to purchase it's...

'I wish' ... Santa would have remembered a Nikon D5000 was on my list!

Oh... I wish Santa would have magically put that under my tree this year! But, between school tuition payments and house notes.. it'll just have to wait! ha!

Alvin.. Simon.. Theodore!

The C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K-S!!

If there is one movie that we all, as a family, love.. it's The Chipmunk Movie! My kids just fall to pieces in laughter each time they watch it. And I dont know what more funny for Chris and I.. the movie itself or watching my kids laugh and act out every scene! I have to admit watching a 2yr old bounce up and down and say "Dave like to wear... dirty underwear.." is quite humorous! :)

When we saw the previews for the sequel "squeakquel" a few months ago.. we knew this one movie that just had to go see! As it got closer to opening day, more and more previews were all over the tv channels and the kids were just giddy with anticipation! It was so cute to watch them begin to learn scenes from the new movie, w/o even seeing it yet! My favorite... Ethan renacting Alvin, saying "shake what your mama gave ya!" HILARIOUS!

Luckily, Chris has had the most relaxed holiday schedule with work and has been able to be home with us alot! So, yesterday afternoon, we decided to surprise the kids with the movie! They had no idea and you should have seen their smiles when we pulled into the movie theater! They immediately knew what we were going to see! Once we got inside they spotted the Chipmunks statues.. off they went!

The movie was just as funny as the first one! The kids had a blast! We did too!! Even being in the theater didn't stop them from laughing hysterically and quoting the scenes. The best part was when LK got up to bust a move when the Chipettes starting singing "Single Ladies"! I dont think I've ever laughed so hard! Although I'm a little worried with her dancing skills.. she shakes it a little too good for a 5yr old! ;)

Definitely go see the movie.. even if you dont have kids! :)

Santa Came!!!

WOW! What an amazing Christmas holiday! Our Christmas is about a week long event. With all the family that we have here in Memphis.. it just keeps going and going! Which is GREAT for the kids... not so much for Mom and Dad! We are absolutely exhausted! :)

I was unfortuately sick most of the week, but Chris managed to get the entire week off of work, so he was able to help out! Thank Goodness! By Wednesday, the kids were bouncing off the walls.. Daddy was home, Mommy was home.. no school! Yep.. LOTS of built up energy! So.. we decided to let the kids open their gifts for each other. LK got Ethan a "rocket ship" shirt from Outdoors.. he LOVES it! And E got Sister the North Face fleece she's been dying for! Then, we all got to bed early to get ready for the busy few days ahead of us!

Christmas Eve Morning was spent wrapping gifts! Since I was sick most of the week, I just wasn't up for wrapping. I did good just managing to go BUY the gifts! So... Noni was sweet enough to come pick up the kids for a few hours! Not to mention that "Santa" procrastinated a little on a certain gift for Lilly Kate, so his helper (aka - Papa) had to come over to help finish it!

But like always.. before the kids could get out of the door.. SOMETHING had to happen to cause a little excitement! I guess Ethan was thirsty and the only thing on the counter was his grape flavored cough medicine! Yes.. he managed to climb onto the counter, get the bottle out of it's box and uncrew the childproof top and drink almost half the bottle. Needless to say, we spent the next 20min on the phone with the poison control center! Luckily, not much harm was done. All we had to do was fill his belly with food, give him lots of water and be prepared for either a very drowsy baby or a very hyper baby. (Ethan got VERY hyper!!!)


Later that night, we all headed over to Goo Goo's for our Christmas Eve tradition! As usual Grams went WAY overboard with the gifts!! But the kids came home with some of their favorites.. Ethan got LOTS of Toy Story toys and LK got the gift she was most anxious for.. her American Girl Doll! She was so excited!! After we opened gifts and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, it was time to head home! On the way, we stopped by Davies Plantation to see the christmas lights! What a show!! Even half asleep, the kids enjoyed every minute of it!

When we got home it was time to leave cookies for Santa!

Since Santa procrastinated on a certain dollhouse.. that meant that Mommy and Daddy were up till about 1am finishing up the final touches! Luckily, the kids were so tired from a late night at Goo Goo's that they slept in till about 7:30! Once they were up though.. it was a madhouse! They were so excited about their gifts! LK got the biggest smile when she saw her dollhouse! And, of course, Ethan LOVED his yellow backhoe! LK also got a pearl necklace, a digital camera, an iDog and the cutest puddle jumper shoes! Ethan got lots of Sprig trucks, the Talking Chuck dump truck and even more Toy Stoy stuff! (and that's not even the half of it!) They're favorite gifts from Santa.. SNUGGIES!!! haha! They've been asking for them for weeks now!

After we opened our Santa gifts, it was off to Nana & Papa's (Chris' grandparents) for more gifts and lunch! The kids got to open even more gifts and play with their cousins!

Later that evening, Noni and Papa came over to bring the kids gifts from their house! What fun!! Ethan got a Little Helper set, so he can help Daddy and Papa around the house! (and it came with REAL tools.. that quickly had to be taken away.. ha!) LK got a doll stroller and lots more! Mommy and Daddy even got a big gift.. the Radio Flyer wagon WITH the canopy!! YAY!! :)

Christmas didn't stop there... on Saturday, we all packed up and headed to Rosemark, TN to celebrate Christmas with my Dad's parents! Grandma cooked an absolutely delicious brunch (the eggs benedict were to die for!) and we opened even more gifts! LK got quite the loot from the Disney store.. she is set with Tinkerball shirts and jewelry! And Ethan got a green John Deere wagon! He LOVED it!

By Saturday evening.. we were all exhausted! That was 3 days of Christmas with 5 get togethers of opening gifts! WOW! We managed to sneak in a quick dinner at Chili's and then it was pjs and sleeping bags in the playroom! (btw - UP! is the most adorable movie!!!)

This year, Christmas was just so much fun! The kids are at such fun ages to really get into the spirit and enjoy themselves! We had an amazing time celebrating not only the "gift giving" side of Christmas.. but the true meaning, the birth of Baby Jesus! I am so blessed that my children know and understand the story behind this festive season!

Christmas didn't stop there though... we still have one more to go! We are getting together with Uncle Ricky and Aunt Lyns this week. I have to admit.. I'm a little worried! Last year, Ethan got a baseball set and the year before LK got a pink rockstar guitar! haha! Obviously, they have no kids of their own just yet! :)

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! Here's to 2010! :)

a few randoms here lately..

Huck has made himself quite at home!

it's never too early to learn how to snap beans! at least that's Grandma Mae's motto!

like I said.. QUITE at home!

apparently Ethan is a little daredevil these days.. i have my hands full!

the most wonderful time of the year!

With the holidays drawing near, the kids were having so many activities going on at school!

First up.. LK had her VERY FIRST field trip! Although she hated riding the bus, she had a great time! She looked adorable in her class t-shirt! They went to the fire museum downtown.

Next up was Ethan's Christmas program at 2nd Baptist! It was so adorable and all the kids did a fabulous job! The cutest part was hearing them sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus! Ethan sang it for days!

my "everyday" look.. haha! Yes, i'm sorry.. but I dont get all spruced up for the carpool lane! :)

Finally... we had classroom parties! Ethan had a birthday party for Jesus at Christ Methodist and LK's class had their party too! They were both so excited!

yes... I matched my kids... i am THAT mom! haha!

she was so proud of her "mommy made" shirt! :)

The kids had so much fun celebrating Christmas at their schools! Although I have to admit.. I am SO glad it's all over.. well, till May! This is one exhausted Room Mom!

here comes santa claus.. here comes santa claus..

Well, we FINALLY made it see Santa this year! I was beginning to feel bad b/c LK assured me that EVERYONE in her class had been to see him.. except her! (but at the same time i had the "well, obviously their parents have a little more time on their hands" attitude.. but that's not being in the Christmas spirit! ha!) So, we all got up Saturday morning, put on the kiddos Christmas outfits and headed to the best place in Memphis to visit Santa - The Pink Palace!

The Pink Palace hosts a memphis tradition every year - The Enchanted Forest . It is a winding path decorated with trees, animals, snow, trains and of course, Santa at the end! The best part is that all proceeds go toward LeBonheur Children's Hospital! The Enchanted Forest has been around since I was a little girl and it's something I look forward to every year. When I was little, it was held at the old Goldsmith's department store in downtown Memphis (Goldsmith's was bought by Macy's). I would always feel so "big" being able to go all the way downtown to see it!

The kids had a absolute ball! First we got to see all the decorated Christmas trees! It was so cute to see them pick their "favorites".. although very tempting not to touch! ;) They loved wandering through the "forest" and then finding Santa at the end. I have to say.. he was the BEST Santa I've ever seen! Not only did he look like Santa... he spent SO much time with each child! I know he asked LK at least 3 different things that were on her list! Even Ethan loved Santa! I was a little nervous b/c last year he definitely did NOT!

After we visited Santa, we were a little rebellious and wandered around through the history exhibits in the museum! shhh.. ha!

All in all.. we ALL had such a great time visiting Santa!

Our favorite tree! :)

dancing to the Christmas music!

they were just amazed by all the little creatures

I tried to get a pic of the kids.. but this is the best I got! ha!

... and then Ethan fell in the "snow"!

gingerbread houses.. taken very seriously! ;)

TRAINS!

and even more houses!

SANTA!!! Have you ever seen a girl so excited??? I tell you... this child has ALWAYS just loved Santa! She knew early on that he was the man to be nice too.. he brings the gifts! ha!

telling the "big guy" exactly what she wants...

E's turn.. he said (very specifically).. "a yellow backhoe"! Is he a Stickles Boy or what?!

LK getting the "DO NOT TOUCH" speech.. and you can tell how interested she was! ha!

Ethan yelled "basketballs" and then ran off with the foam finger! OH MY! (i bet they were ready for us to leave! haha!)

We found Elvis! :)

the replica of the original Piggly Wiggly store!

We had such a fun day at The Pink Palace & The Enchanted Forest! We are definitely ready for Santa to visit us!! :)