December 29, 2013

wrapping up the pre-Christmas fun!

 these two sweet sisters have loved falling asleep together this holiday season (after all of our company leaves next week they are BOTH moving into their shared Big Girl Room)
 Elfie has been making the girls giggle with all of her shenanigans
 Aunt Laura and I took the girls to see A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tale.....for the 4th year (Scarlett's 2nd year) and they loved it! 


December 17, 2013

Family Pictures 2013

150 christmas cards out.....so no more hiding our latest Photo shoot with the amazing Melissa Young! As always she captured our little family perfectly......little attitudes and all! 


















December 15, 2013

Scarlett, she's spicy that one






Polar Express (4th edition)

It was the BEST of times, it was the WORST of times! 
We had quite a week last week... We took the kids to have their Christmas pictures taken, Cooper and Scarlett came down with hand, foot and mouth virus, Patrick and Caroline were in a car accident (Thank goodness everyone is OK), and Friday we headed to Williams to ride the Polar Express (after checking with the doctor first!). 
The babies were feeling better by Friday, so we loaded up and headed North to the snow and our favorite train ride! 
the cutest little bundled up Bubba! 
the boys team: Colgan, Jim, Cooper and Patrick
the girl's waiting to board the train....10 seconds after this picture was taken Scarlett threw up....thank goodness it was BEFORE we boarded the train! We had a moment of "uh-oh what do we do?" but since we had driven three hours, and she seemed Ok, we wiped her off and boarded the train. She did great the whole ride and was her old self.
our fourth annual trip as a family.....we love this special train ride to the North Pole!
our whole group: Our dear friends Jim and Jen with some of their friends
the littlest elf
our three elves (Thx Grandma for the Pj's)
the seats on the Polar Express (AKA the Grand Canyon Railway) are so neat, you can flip them either direction, so you can face each other as a family! 

Jim, Jen, Colgan and Jim's mama
getting our tickets punched
on the way to the North Pole the chefs bring around hot chocolate and cookies and then we settle in to read the polar express
before long it's time to look for Santa's village as we approach the North Pole
Look who's waiting for us outside!
SANTA!!!!

Then, while we wait for Santa to board the train, we sing Christmas carols




singing away
IT'S TIME.......SANTA HAS ARRIVED!!! (check out how excited Scarlett is to see him!)

and he gave us each a bell.....guess where brothers went immediately! 


The train was amazing as usual.....the hotel that night was another story.....one who wouldn't sleep and another up sick........glad we are home and nestled in our own beds!!! Even with all the kiddo craziness we wouldn't miss this annual event, it's one of our VERY FAVORITE things during the holiday season!