Merry Christmas!

Christmas at our house was full of smiles and joy.  We were all spoiled.

We started with the stockings.  Zoey has become obssessed with Hello Kitty after getting a tooth brush with Hello Kitty, so her stocking had hello kitty band aids, which she recognized and said they were in fact hello kitty band aids right away.

  

All the stocking loot.  Then it was time for a quick breakfast.  Sam had been so good and stayed in bed thinking we wanted to sleep in that we were running behind and my parents had to wait on the girls to finish.  What a wonderful child!

Nick got pretty spoiled this year.  He bought himself a driver.  He also got a cast iron pan to make deep dish pizza, some smaller things like grill brushes and duct tape, a wrench set he wanted, the reese pieces (pinterest: We love you to pieces), but his main gift was a fit bit, to help measure his sleep patterns since he will not get that checked out.

I got some great stuff too.  A digital notepad and a garage key pad.  My big gift was a camera.  I said I would pick one out last year and decided to live with my slightly malfunctioning one.  Nick went ahead and researched it and now I have a brand new red one that can take underwater pictures!

Sam's school had a shop and I sent in money.  She got both my parents mugs and Zoey a ceramic bear for her shelf.  She bought Nick and myself something, but sadly it did not make it home.

Sam and Zoey so much!  I tried to make a lot for the girls.  Both girls got embellished bags.  Sam's was this tutu bag.  Zoey's was a monster face with teeth crayons.

Sam's big Santa gift was a remote control Cinderella carriage that has a video camera to see where it is going and the Cinderella doll.  She was ecstatic and there is video of her playing with it.  ZOey got an Ariel, Merida, and Belle doll.

I also painted these dolls for Sam.  That was a chore.  I made a spiderman and several princesses.

I made both girls hooded towels, but the towels I bought were huge, so Nick says they will use them in college.

I made the girls capes.  Sam's is a crown (so Zoey can use it too later) and Zoey's had a Z.  She did not like hers and immediately said, "Too big"  which is her way to get out of something (eating, wearing, etc).

My sweet girls hugging after getting dressed.

A Kelling family shot.  You can see here the biggest hit of the whole day.  I got Nick to drill some holes in a cottage cheese container and bought red and green puff balls.  I saw it on pinterest as a toddler dexterity activity.  Zoey loves it.  She is always saying "Open me" and passes the balls out, dumps them out, puts them in.  So much fun!

We went to my parents for Christmas lunch and a quick Nana and Papa picture.  

Then home to nap/rest time.  After that, was playtime!  This was an RC Christmas because one of the joint gifts was an RC car/boat.  Sam enjoyed driving it, Zoey more liked the idea, but was willing to give up her turn quickly.

Sam playing with her carriage.

Both of the girls also got a Wii game.  Here is Sam playing her dancing game.  Zoey got an Elmo one to grow into.

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Santa

This is our first year not using the N. Dekalb mall santa, who was so wonderful.  But I could not justify all of us going to Atlanta for that.  Plus, I am not too into all the Santa stuff.  I just want a yearly picture.

So here are our Santa shots from through the years.

As a baby, he took Sam from behind.  She was fine as long as we made a fuss, but just seconds after turned and saw a strange man had her.

Marshall Holiday party 2009.

Dekald Mall Santa.  She was terrified, but they gave her that piece of paper and she stayed strong.

The Marshall holiday party 2010.

Dekalb Mall 2010, we went to my parents before we flew to California.

Dekalb Mall 2011, we went up for Nick's advisor's retirement from GT party.

PALS Christmas ball 2011.

 PALS Ball 2012, Sam is a pro at this sit on the lap, get something game.

Zoey hated it, so I did not even bother with a picture of both girls.

Sam had a fundraiser at her school where you could buy Santa pictures.  She was less sure at first, but smiled better in the second one.

We went to a free event where Sam takes ballet.  So the only picture with both kids.

Christmas Eve!

We had a super busy Christmas.  For Christmas Eve, my Dad and Nick played tennis.  Then we went to lunch and back to my parents for the girls to open gifts from Nana and Papa.  

Zoey got a purse and came to show me her dollar.

Sam earns money from my mom by doing "Nanny School".  She used some of her own money to pick out gifts and cards for us at the dollar tree.  What a sweetie!  She got me the Christmas tree peppermints I like.

And she got Nick one of his favorites, Mike and Ikes.  She also got Zoey some paper because she loves to draw.

One of the cutest things from this season is Zoey saying presents and Merry Christmas.  I am a little sad that she will have the capacity to fully say those last year, just because these are so cute.

And the excitement was too much, so we let them open gifts after bath.  Sam asked for a vet kit after I had bought too much.  So we used money from Grammy and Poppi to buy her the toys r us one which comes with a pink puppy named Sammi.  She loves it and even sleeps with Sammi.  Lots of vet check ups lately.

Set the Night to Music!

Nick has always wanted to set up our Christmas lights to flash with music, so this year he did.  The benefits of marrying an engineer!  It took hours and hours of hard work, but the results were spectacular.  He programmed 9 songs, for a total of just over 22 minutes.  We invited a few neighbors and friends to have hot cocoa and watch our debut on Sunday night.  It was a big hit.  He recorded the whole show, but only redubbed a selection.  It is too huge to upload here, but I am posting a link to Nick's website.

Christmas Light Show

Holy Moly It's Christmas Eve!

  We continue to have lots to do to fill up our time.  We thought it would be a lot more flexible  but the events are keeping us busy and I have been sick again.  But we try and always make time to have dinner with Nana and Papa. It is so wonderful having them so close and seeing such a great bond.

We also went up and met some friends staying at the animal kingdom lodge.  We were not too impressed with the food selection, but the view was amazing.  See the crowned crane right behind Sam?

And how close that giraffe is!

We also went to the place Sam takes ballet, it is like a local YMCA called Kelly Rec, for Santa pics.

There have been several PALS parties.  I hosted the big kid gift exchange and attended the toddler one.  I also went to an ornament exchange.  I also hosted a favorite things party.  Everyone brought 5 favorite things $5 or under and we randomly exchanged them.  It was a little bit complicated, but I learned better ways to do it and we had such fun.  Good food and wonderful friends.  It was a packed event!

Zoey loves accessories now too.

We went to the light event at a local church. They have lots of picture opportunities.  Sam still loves super heroes.  A friend brought her kids to our house and her son saw the spider man towel and asked where Samantha's brother was.  A lesson in gender neutral encouragement.  

She loves talking to soldiers.

And princesses, a well rounded girl :)

We met some friends at a local park.  Zoey loved this roller slide.

Sam had a pajama day for Polar Express at school.  She was thrilled.

Sam instigated hat day at our house.

I just do not think our girls are getting enough gifts for Christmas.  Good thing their birthdays are coming up!  Ha ha!  This does include presents for Nick and me, but not all the gifts from my parents or Santa.  But the girls have opened a few and they have been so wonderful.  We are truly blessed with people who know us well and are so generous.  Thank you to all so far!

Surveying the loot and wondering.  Sam really is a mini me.  She has been wrapping up random things to give people.  She was so excited about buying stuff with her money and with my money at her school shop.  She is also delighted by surprises while simultaneously tortured by them.  Zoey still will not even rip into the packages but she is so cute saying present and Christmas Tree.  She gets excited.  Both girls really help highlight the joy of the season.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas (or Happy end of December to our Jewish friends).  More updates soon with what the girls got and a few more events this week.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

It has been an insanely busy few weeks.

Zoey had a birthday party for a friend.  She hated the paper bracelet she had to wear to get in the play area.  But she had a pretty good time at the party.

We put up our tree.  Zoey keeps taking ornaments off and then crying saying, "on, on!"  We have not put all the wrapped presents out yet.  Nick pointed out that they may get opened early but our curious little one.

My mom got little trees for the girls at her house as well.  This is Zoey when you say look up at the camera. :)

 

The finished trees.

Then, Nick and my dad made a trip to Atlanta to fix some things at our house there.  While they were gone, Mom and I had tons of events to keep us busy.  Lakeland had a Thursday evening Christmas parade.  People put out chairs the day before, it is a big deal.  My moms club reserved an area and a friend added our chairs.  It was tough to get there with roads closing and traffic and I ended up parked the wrong way to get out and go.  We did not get home until 10!  Both girls fell asleep in the car.  Sam right away, even as Zoey was yelling about the train and then crying for her crib and lovey.  But both girls had a blast.  Zoey was cute clapping and waving.  Sam loved it all.

We also went to the first friday event about cookies.

And Saturday was snow fest, which was disappointing, but Zoey liked the ice.

So did Sam.

Sam got to ride the inflatable swan, but they pushed her off badly and she ended up flipping over.  I have video, which is scary but she did not even get hurt and got right back on and rode the rest of the way.

I also made this felt tree that the girls are enjoying.

And last of all, my mom's club had a Christmas Ball.  I was on the committee, so on top of all the other busy things I had my assignments, including setting up Saturday night until 10.  I was so exhausted.  And then Nick and dad drove back Sunday and Nick still went to the ball with me to help out.  

Ready to go, looking beautiful.

 Sam had a great time playing.  Zoey was a bit cranky and did not want to eat.  There are also santa pictures, which I will post soon.

 After the ball and a bath and a snack, Zoey climbed in this and said house, house (because of her giant cardboard house.

Sam wanted in on the picture taking and said it was a boat.