Christmas Day

Christmas Morning started out a little rough. I was up most the night with Clara who was sick. She had thrown up from her fever getting so high and didn't sleep well at all. So she and Jack both slept in really late till almost 10pm. I was wide awake bc I was so excited for Clara to see that Santa had came. Jack woke up in the BEST mood! He was super smiley and happy! 

We always open stocking first! Clara was excited about her spongebob bandaids even though she won't wear bandaids, and she LOVED her silly putty. For some reason Santa always forgets to stuff my stocking. 

Santa brought Clara her Cinderella Barbie she had been wanting that lights up and talks and the matching dress up outfit. Jackson was brought some really cool Tonka trucks. 

It was a chaotic morning, the wrapping was much more fun and Clara just wanted to open stuff and didn't really care what she was getting. 

Mike bought me nightgowns that I desperately needed with this ever growing belly and a new shower caddy.  Mine broke months ago and it's been so annoying with all my stuff stacked on the floor. I got Mike his Grizzly sleeping bag he's been wanting forever. Don't know when he'll actually use it but he was excited. 

This year we got the kids quite a bit but it was all really good deals. I did 95% of my shopping online. Kohl's was having  ridiculous online sales, and Amazon too. I only paid shipping on 2 items and I didn't have to leave the house pregnant with 2 kids. It was AWESOME! We got the kids a Thomas the Train set, Playdoh Baker's set, new bath towels, Clara got a Pink BB gun that is WAY too big for her, Jack got a Little People's Airport, and some DVD's for them to share. 

Clara woke up feeling much better so I thought she was on the mend. We packed up the kids and headed to my mom and dad's house. The amount of present was overwhelming. There was hardly any room on the floor in the living room. We are all so spoiled. Clara couldn't wait to get her jammies, and take out her hair bow. So I made her take some pictures first and then let her change, haha. 

Batman joined us for opening presents

Mom was given the job of handing out the bazillion presents, Clara assisted of course. However she would hand you your present and then open it for you as she's handing it over, lol!! She opened quite a few of Uncle Tom's lol. Oops! I had to explain to her that she only opens hers lol. It was pure chaos and the amount of presents was insane. Jack got a cool Barbie car and some new Barbies. He's obsessed with Barbies still, it's so funny. He loves their hair. 

We played White Elephant this year again. It's such a fun game to play. I had bought a banana keeper and my dad picked it and he HATES bananas. And then in the end I got screwed and stuck with the athletic cup from last year which was so funny! 

These picture of Jack and his new Barbie are hysterical. He shakes her violently to make her hair fling back and forth, lol. 

It was hands down, one of the best Christmas' I've ever had. We ate amazing food, laughed and enjoyed our family just hanging out. I got to visit with my Aunt LouAnn for a long time which was nice. Having children has just brought such a different joy and meaning to the Holidays. Clara was a riot this year with how obsessed with everything Christmas she is. It's just going to get better and better. I keep thinking about next year when we have our 3 kids and Bud & Crissy will have Aedan and the twins! It will be so different. 

We were all very spoiled. I got so much stuff it was overwhelming. My parent's got me the 50 Shades of Grey series, JK Rowlings new book, 2 Starbucks cup, gift cards, socks, Coldplay DVD set, Betsy's Wedding on DVD, and other things I can't remember. Crissy made us this adorable jar with our monogram on it full of hot chocolate mix, Tom & Cole got me The Flaming Lips cd I wanted, Bobby got me a itunes card. I can't even begin to name all the things the kids got. Our van was jammed packed when we got home. I ended up having to get 2 more rubbermaid drawers for all the stuff the kids got. And that was after I cleaned out a giant tub for Goodwill. 

The next day my house was a disaster zone. Mike had to work the next day so I was stuck on battery duty and putting together play sets. The little people airport took me well over an hour to put together. There was a billion stickers to put on it. The kids have been having a blast with all their new stuff. 

Christmas Eve & Other Misc Christmas Fun

 Misty and Eric came over for our gift exchange the weekend before Christmas bc they weren't sure if they were gonna make it to my parent's on Christmas day. We got a wild hair up our butt and decided to go decorate Renee's car as a surprise. She's constantly talking crap on facebook about the people who decorate their cars with wreaths and rudolph so we thought it would be hilarious. And it was!!

Then we decided to take the kids to look at lights bc we were running out of time and Christmas was almost here and the kids LOVE seeing lights on houses. So we went by this lovely, hideous house in Oildale. Then we headed out to Hagen Oaks to check out the lights. However it was a Sunday night and it was packed. We were stuck in a line for about 30 minutes where the Dustin's Diner line was and people were waiting to buy hot chocolate. We finally were able to turn down a street and escape the line. The kids were getting really fussy and starting to whine and cry. 

I gave them each a baggy of M&M's to enjoy and I took them away half way through waiting and Jack got really quite and we look back and apparently he had dropped some in his seat or had some stashed in his hand and he was COVERED in chocolate. It was so darn funny! 

Misty & Eric got Hudson his very first presents. Cute little shoes and Monster's Inc jammies. And they got Jack his very first Batman car set, with Batman jammies, and Toy Story Jammies. Clara got Minnie Mouse & Tinker Bell jammies that she's obsessed with. They also got me a basket of goodies that included a fun hot dog cutter!

Giant 7 months pregnant belly!

Pops McGee got Clara a Leap Pad 2 for Christmas. She LOVES it and calls it her ipad. It's the cutest thing!

They also really enjoyed the box the leap pad came in. They played with it for a few days till it finally broke. 

Baby Booties!!

Daddy & Clara playing on their "iPads" 

It's tradition to spend Christmas Eve with our McGee side of the family. However Clara ended up with a fever and was not feeling good at all. I didn't want to take her out in the cold and spread her germs to everybody. Mike took Jack with him over to Jack & Sharon's. Audra got a really great picture of the family together. 

This is another cute one of Mike & Jack at the McGee's. 

When Mike & Jack got back home, I had been busy dealing with a sick girl and was exhausted that I never made homemade cookies for Santa. That was Clara and I's plan but she wasn't moving from the couch. So we got out our stale Chips Ahoy and made do. Clara & Jack colored Santa a picture and left him 3 cookies and milk. I had purchased Clara Christmas pajamas the year before after Christmas on clearance for $4 and Jack some jammies on sale at Kohls. We had to cut the feet off his footy pajamas bc he was freaking out about it and crying and pulling on his feet. 

BARC Magical Forest

We went to BARC's Magical Forest. We love to come here every year and just walk around and let the kids run around and check out the cute Santa Workshop for all the homemade goodies. I get the best bows for Clara there. 

Clara got to meet Santa again!! She is really exciting about Santa this year and she's been a very good girl. Jack wanted NOTHING to do with Santa but he enjoyed the candy cane. 

Clara in the North Pole. 

Tom & Cole sat with Santa. 

Even Grandma sat with Santa. We asked Santa where his tip jar was and he said he wasn't allowed haha. 

Clara had her popcorn and was completely content and having a fabulous time. It was actually warm weather and I had my sweatshirt off most the night. It was so odd. 

Jack was even scared of getting near the sleigh to take pictures. He's scared of everything. 

It was a really fun, kick back night and then we went to eat after at Frugatti's! Which is always delicious! 

Christmas Around the World

My sweet neighbor Barbara gave me free tickets to the Timeless Furnishing's Christmas Around the World. I've always wanted to check it out but never seemed to have time with all the activities we have going on. But with free tickets I wasn't about to miss it. It's Bakersfield's largest collection of Nativity Scenes, Nutcrackers and Gingerbread Houses. There are trees decorated in traditional decor for the different nations that celebrate Christmas. We are not religious what-so-ever but we love the traditions and stories and history of Christmas. This time of year for us, is about making amazing memories and traditions with our families and friends, and charity. Helping others during this time of year and all year is extremely important. Whether it be Toys for Tots, blankets for the Animal Shelter, Christmas Cards for the Serviceman in the Military, Toys & food for the Homeless or our favorite  UPS's Adopt-A-Family. I think it's important to do what you can financially or physically. It's a hard time of year for a lot of people so financially it's difficult to give to charity, but just a little goes a LONG way. 

This was a tad difficult to read and enjoy with small kids. They were extremely bored, and I now know next year it will be something we do sans the children. 

A super tall Nutcracker, he was pretty cool and creepy. 

The gingerbread houses were HUGE! This picture does not do them justice. 

Giant collection of nutcrackers. Nutcrackers always creeped my mom out so we never had them growing up, so I find it kinda strange to collect them lol. Plus the cornsilk hair on some of them gross me out like Barbies do. 

My favorite part was all the trees. Every nation decorates them differently and had different customs regarding the tree. My favorite tradition that made me laugh was Japans. They don't celebrate Christmas bc most of them are not Christians so they eat Christmas cake and fried chicken. It made me chuckle! 

Canadian's eat meat pie, which is just filthy lol! And the Spider Web Legend was really cool! There was also a huge section in the middle full of Nativity Scenes from different collector's in Bakersfield, including my neighbor Barbara's. It was interesting to know that back in the day paper nativity scenes were known as the nativity scenes for the poor. 

CALM Lights

We go every year to CALM to check out all the lights! This year it was a smaller group, it was Tom, Nicole, my mom, Bobby,  and Misty & Eric. Mike was at work and Aedan wasn't feeling good so they had to miss out. The kids LOVED it! It was actually pretty stinking cold this year but manageable with some hot chocolate and kettle corn! Because I'm incredibly uncomfortable and having hip pain being 7 months pregnant, we went very slowly and took our time. Jack was fascinated with the lights and calls them all "cwissmass twees". He's so cute and is obsessed with Christmas lights. 

My babies and I

Uncle Tom is a mega dork and wore a minky blanket...okay maybe most of us were jealous bc he's super genius to be that warm. 

They played music along with a light show and the kids were fascinated by it. They danced their little tushes off! 

Love this picture of Nicole & my mom!! 

Getting a group shot was almost impossible haha!!

This one is pretty good!!