Santa Pictures

Monday, December 21st we headed downtown to meet Nana, Kiersten, Caroline, Nicholas, and Molly to do Santa pictures at Nordstroms. We got there just before 9am and found out place in line.  The plan was to get pictures done, take the girls home and leave them with BB and daddy while I went back downtown to the dentist.  Well, our plan didn’t quite work out.  The line was longer than we thought and wasn’t moving very fast.  Next thing we knew, it was time for my dentist appointment.  Thankfully my dentist is one block from Nordstroms.  I put the girls in the stroller and Nana and I took them for a walk down the block where I slyly handed the stroller off to Nana and snuck away.  So while I was sitting in a dentist chair BB and Nana were in charge.  Auntie Katie showed up just as I was leaving so they had reinforcements.  I was hoping to be done before it was time to take pictures but I missed it.  When I met up with everyone they just kept telling me the girls did great.  “Madi sat in the chair and Emma sat on the rocking horse.”  When they said Madi sat, I of course assumed she sat ON Santa. But thinking back, no one ever said “sat ON Santa”.  They also said I would just have to wait to see the pictures every time I asked about the girls crying or freaking out.  All I got was “they did great”.  So for the last two weeks I have been walking around talking about how great my girls did with Santa because I wasn’t there.  They always seem to do better when I’m not around; no mommy to hang on so they step it up.  Well, today I got the pictures in the mail and the truth came out.

You will have to excuse the quality, I scanned this on Chad’s B & W scanner, printer thing.  Not the best, but you can see the picture of “Madi sitting in the chair and Emma on the rocking horse”.  It will be a fun Santa picture to look back on as the girls grow up. 

Merry Christmas to all…

We woke up Thursday morning and headed home to get the house ready to host Christmas Eve.  We have hosted the last few years and it has become one of my favorite nights of the year.  We had a house full of friends and family.  Kiersten, Joe and the kids were here this year and the girls loved having their cousins around.  Madi was beyond bouncing off the walls.  It turns out she was quite the instigator. 

The kid table.  Can’t believe I have a “kid table”.  It is too fun having all the kids around for the holidays. 

Madi and Nicholas racing down the stairs.  Madi had so much fun with Nicholas.  This morning (12/31) she asked to “see Nicholas”. 

  All the kids racing down the stairs.

Opening the traditional present of pj’s Christmas Eve. 

We had a penguin theme going on with the Christmas pj’s this year.  Emma and Molly look exhausted, Madi is still screaming and laughing and ready to go.  She did not want to stop. 

Everyone in the kitchen getting dinner ready. 

Christmas Morning…

The girls were so tired, they didn’t get up until almost 9. 

Once they saw all the gifts, they were pretty excited about breaking into them.  The only problem is that they want to run off and play with everything as soon as they open it.  It was hard to get them to stay focused and open everything.  I think it was a sign that Santa went a little overboard. 

After a little breakfast, we got dressed and headed to Nana and Papas to open more presents and spend the day with everyone.  Thankfully BB took a few pictures.  I was way too exhausted to take pictures.  I know Papa has some too, so I will need to get them from him also.  Bad mommy, this is the second year I have dropped the ball on taking pictures on Christmas. 

Leavenworth

Wednesday morning we decided to take BB and the girls over the mountains and through the woods to Leavenworth.  We made a quick stop to see Snoqualmie falls and made our way to our beautiful Bavarian themed hotel in Leavenworth.  After getting settled we walked through town and had some lunch.  We strolled through some of the shops and picked up a sled to go sledding on the little hill in the middle of town.  After a while we headed back to the hotel to try to get the girls to rest.  Resting was not happening so we headed back out to dinner after a couple hours.  After dinner we went back to the hotel where they had a pianist and Christmas carols in the lobby by the fire.  The girls had so much fun running around the hotel hallways.  Emma ran up and down the main stairs like a maniac.  They wanted nothing to do with going to bed.  Snoqualmie Falls

Emma wouldn’t let daddy get too close to the railing.  She was holding on for dear life. 

My little shopper.  We picked up some goodies at the gift shop at the Falls.  They had some super cute Christmas ornaments so we had to have a couple to remember the trip by. 

Heading to lunch, I love the mountain in the background.

Daddy hit the sledding hill in the center of town.  The goal was to get the girls to go but after daddy slipped on the ice with Emma in his arms, they didn’t want anything to do with it. 

Madi wanted to play the piano with the pianist.  She kept creeping closer and closer and reaching for the keys.

Emma and Daddy singing Christmas carols by the fire.

The hotel had a great big sleigh in the lobby. The girls had a blast climbing all over it. 

Love my cute little family.  

December Continued…

On Wednesday, December 16th BB flew in from Duxbury.  As she was landing so was Kiersten and the kids.  We headed down to Gig Harbor Friday morning to see all the cousins and let BB and Nana spend some time together before the chaos of the holidays. It is so fun to see the girls play with their cousins and to see how they react to Molly who is only 11 days younger.  I think it was a little confusing because Molly’s room at Nana’s is also Madi and Emma’s room at Nana’s.  Molly was running around saying “My room”, and the girls just had the most confused look on their faces.  Not sure how you are supposed to explain it to 2 year olds. Papa got a new train this year so now there are two running under the tree.  All the kids loved them and Nicholas taught the girls how to run them. Emma running the train.

Molly and Madi making some music. 

All five grandbabies suggled up in Nana’s bed. 

Saturday morning we got up, piled in the car and drove down to Rochester, WA.  Chad had signed up for a half marathon.  We dropped him off in the cold misty rain then the four of us went to Chehalis to do a little shopping at the outlets.  After a while we went back and waited for daddy to cross the finish line.  We are proud of him, he beat Autie Katie’s and my time.  Looking for daddy.

Waiting inside the community center, trying to stay warm and dry. 

Good job daddy. 

Sunday night I busted out an early Christmas present so that the girls would have lots of time to play with BB.  I love this picture, Madi has her glasses on upside down and her tongue out as she concentrates.  If you look closely, Emma has her tongue out too with her shaggy hair hanging out under her hat which is too small.  Love me crazy kids! 

  Taking a break to roll around on the floor. 

Crazy December….

December wasn’t unusually crazy but for some reason I just couldn’t get my act together and share all of our wonderful adventures. 

On Thursday, December 10th we received a package in the mail from Grampy and Grammy in Mass that said OPEN on it.  Emma woke up early from her nap so she and I had some fun opening the present alone.  Grammy and Grampy sent us a new friend.  The girls love it. 

Bear is inflatable with a running fan that needs to be plugged in.  When we unplug it at night, Madi wakes up and says “uh oh, bear?” She doesn’t like him on the floor in a heap.  Bear is also supposed to go outside, but we thought he was way more fun in the living room.

On Saturday, December 12 we had a long overdue Capozzi-Richards family reunion at Kate and Josh’s.  The girls had so much fun running around with Jake, Reese and Makenzie.  Kendra and baby Ben Reese and Emma

Jake and Madi enjoying dinner.

The girls destroyed Jake’s room.  I guess that is what happens with two sets of twins running around. 

The next morning we went over to the Boyer’s for a Santa brunch.  The girls love playing at the Boyer’s and had a great time until Santa showed up.  They wanted nothing to do with him.  I thought it would go much smoother being in a familiar environment.  Boy was I wrong.  All the other kids did great and they all took turns sitting with Santa and telling him what they wanted for Christmas.  It was a great morning even with all the tears though.

Love the look on Emma’s face.  I love this picture of Brody, casually chatting with Santa. Jackson was very comfortable on Santa’s lap.

 

Madi didn’t want me taking any more pictures.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree…

Saturday morning we headed out on our Christmas tree hunt.  This year we headed east instead of north.  We went to a tree farm in Carnation, it was quite the popular tree farm.  Madi of course acted just as she did when we went pumpkin hunting.  All she wanted was to be carried which makes it difficult to get any pictures.  We did find a great little tree and the girls thought it was great that daddy could carry the tree.

So unhappy! Emma looking for the perfect tree.

Kneeling down to help daddy cut down the tree.

Emma LOVED hanging the ornaments on the tree. All breakables are on the top and kid friendly ones on the bottom. Madi checking out the duckie ornament BB sent to us last year. Emma checking out her good work. Madi hanging a frog angel on the tree. She is so obsessed with frogs, this has since ended up in bed with her.