December 2014

December was another crazy month.  We spent half of it in Chile (I posted about this separately) and then a week at home and then the rest in Arizona.  After getting home from Chile we had a week to celebrate our own little family's Christmas. :)  We set up the tree, made cookies and  asked Santa to come to our house the Saturday before Christmas. :)  (since Randy was unable to join us on our trip to Arizona during Christmas).

My mom got Walter this cute farm set... they had so much fun playing with it the morning after our Comollo Christmas. :) 

Making cookies. :)  The pictures speak for themselves I think.

Walter's cookie

Lena piling up Santa's plate. :)

Stockings!

Walter got his own little vacuum... thought it would make him let me use MY sized one... I've had no such luck. :)

Lena got her very own camera. :)

Perfect for the year... they got an airport play set from  Randy's parents.  They definitely learned all about the ins and outs of airports this year. :)

Arizona

It was so good to have the opportunity to spend another Christmas in Arizona, especially since I don't know how many more times I'll be able to do this.  This is what my family did every year growing up and it's been hard to think that the tradition is starting to come to an end.  It really does not feel like Christmas to me until I step into that lovely old house and walk down the palm-tree filled street and feel the nice warm air.   My Grandpa is doing a lot better than the last time we saw him (my Grandmother's funeral :( ) but he is still anxious to be reunited with her.  

My wonderful grandpa took us all out to Pinnacle Peak steak house... this has been a tradition since before I can remember. :) 

Sweet Megan and Eva with Lena.

REAL Christmas morning...

My  mom was so great to still get a little something for the kids to open on the REAL Christmas. :)

My Grandpa got lots of chocolate... as usual. :) 

My grandpa rarely tries on and gets new clothes... my cousin got this sweater for him and he felt like a million bucks! :)

Walter with Uncle Pete by the fireplace. :)

Walter practicing to be an old man in Grandpa's chair. :)

The good old swing set... I'm still amazing every time someone steps on it that it doesn't fall apart. :)

I came out from getting ready for the day to find Lena and my grandpa sharing this special moment.  She was showing him and telling him all about the pictures she had taken on her new camera. :)

The good old wash... another thing Christmas is not the same without. :)  Glad I could share it with my kids. :)

People around here put up amazing lights as part of a contest. :)  Walter and Lena found a little play house complete with chairs and couple doors down.  The neighbors were so nice to let them play in it. :)

Chalk!

Oh Robby, what a great "uncle" to my kids (he's really my cousin).  They were all pretending to be kitties so he got out some bowls and filled them with milk for them to lap up.  I've never seen my kids drink so much milk in my life!  They loved it so much! :)

Robby and his sweet girlfriend cuddling with Lena. :)

Walter trying really hard to insist on taking a nap with his balloons.... have I mentioned he has an obsession with balloons?

My cousins Megan and Kelley were SO sweet with my kids...my kids adored them!    I'm so grateful to them for loving them so much. :)

Megan, who is a cosmetologist in training... gave me a make-over. :)  What do you think?

I'm realizing now that I didn't get any pictures with Eva, Sam or my mom.  Eva and Sam were only able to stay a couple of days and we had so much fun with them.  It was so amazing to get to spend so much time with my mom.  Walter and Lena really had a good time with her as well. :)  My mother is the sweetest person I know!  I'm so grateful to her for letting me tag-a-long with her on this trip. :)