Christmas round 1…and a ER detour!

We loaded up super early Saturday morning for the start of our Christmas fun!

 First stop…Oklahoma for the Bradford Christmas!

some of the cousins…we were missing about 1/2 this year!

2nd cousins! Reese wanted no part of the picture so J held her up in the back!  lol!

 After that we headed to Fayetteville to meet up with our old neighbors!  We have missed them so much!  We let the kids run all over Fun City while we visited…so good to see them!

 After a couple of hours it was time to head to bed.  We were surprised to see this guy when we got to the hotel!

The next morning came early again as we headed to Camden.  This is what Reese thought about being in the car again!

 Ryne has been asking about Michael a lot lately.  She was so sweet when we pointed out his and Dan's cross.  I know she and Reese both make their uncle proud!

 Once we got to my parents we visited for about 20 minutes before the girls were begging to go on a golf cart ride!

 Then Brad and Beth showed up so Ava and Cameron jumped on too!

 After freezing for a bit we headed back for lunch…and then gifts!!

being silly!

listening to the real Christmas story!

opening all those gifts will really wear a girl out!

movie time!

 Brad and Beth's gang all went home that night but we so enjoyed the day with them.  The next day the girls and I went with my parents to the museum while Daddy worked.  Someone has to bring home the bacon!  We missed having him with us but we enjoyed the outing and he probably got a lot more done with us not there!

 Once we got back it was about time for us to hit the road.  We made great time going home and then we hit a little bump in the road.  Reese had broken a necklace in the car one day.  I thought I had picked up all the beads but obviously missed one and it ended up Reese's nose!!!!  After trying a couple of ways to get it out, we made a detour to the ER.  Lucky for us we were in and out in less than an hour!  It wasn't too bad for Reese and both girls got a stuffed animal so they thought our little detour was pretty cool!  ha!

such a cute little mess!

As cool as the ER was, Reese said she does not want to do that again!  Let's hope that was a one time thing and no more foreign objects go in again!

Our Elf...

We love our little elf!  Ryne and Reese loved finding him in the morning and I am so happy to report…he moved every.single.night!  Woohoo!  That is a big improvement from last year!  He wasn't too mischievous…but he did have a little fun!

He arrived with Jelly Bellies for the girls!

He wasn't able to finish his picture while we slept, so he snuck in some coloring during the day until he had Ryne's picture completed!

Sugar angels and wrapping the girls bathroom?!  Naughty Jukie!

He even followed us to a hotel!

Ryne sent him off with a sweet note.  She loves that little guy!

25 days of CHRISTmas

Our advent calendar (well house actually) is one of Ryne's very favorite things during Christmas.  We manly try to fill it with Random Acts of Kindness, but of course throw in some stuff for the girls.  :)  Here are a few of the 25...

make cards for soldiers...

Scavenger Hunt Dinner...

BAB fun!

Coffee for a cold bell ringer!

lots of crafts and cards…some for us and some for others!

one day was pick a treat…Ryne picked candy at the mall, Reese agreed!

North Pole Express train ride!

Christmas nails!  Ryne painted mine!  ;)

Toys for Tot shopping!

Picked out a couple of sweet angels!

Christmas lights and Starbucks!

There were a few more RAK that we weren't able to get pictures of.  My very favorite was purchasing bracelets made by Haitian moms to help provide an income to support their families as well as help a friend adopt a 12 year old girl!  Pretty cool!  It is a very fun way to build up to Christmas!

North Pole bound...

We took the girls to Grapevine to ride the North Pole Express…it was great fun!  Pops and GranJan met us there and we all had issues getting there!  I was nervous because the train waits for no one!  yikes!  Thankfully we all made it just in the nick of time!

Shuttle…why are shuttles so fun!

this kid has been begging to ride a train.  Any time we see one she yells "I wanna ride the train.  It be so fun!". I'm so glad she got her wish!  :)

 Ryne was super excited too!

 After the train ride we walked through the "Christmas Tree Maze" to watch a little show.

 Then it was time for "Snow Chocolate Milk" and to write letter to Santa to mail...

 Super cute because Santa actually mailed her a letter back a few days later!

Then we headed to see the Man in Red himself!

Reese couldn't keep her eyes off him...

until she sat on his lap and then she wouldn't make eye contact at all!  lol!  He did get a little smile out of her and she did tell him she wanted a pink sucker for Christmas!  ha!

I think Reese's very favorite part was playing with the train table though!  She threw a very rare 2 year old fit (right in front of Santa!) when it was time to go!

Fit and all it was a great night at the North Pole!  :)