Christmas 2008

Looking back I can't believe i didn't take better pictures of Christmas this year! But this is the best I've got...
So here was Santa's gift this year...complete with a microphone. -The thing about a microphone and a toddler, I have learned, is that they get that their voice is supposed to come out louder when they talk or sing into it...they just don't seem to get that they don't have yell in order for that to happen. -Why, oh why, Santa, did you have to pick out the piano with a microphone??? :)

My fourth try at making this ridiculous pie...and it blobbed out the minute I cut it. Everyone ended up with a spoonfull of mush on their plates. :(
Tired kids at the end of a long, fun day. :)
Kristin, Sammy, and Shawn. -It was so nice to enjoy a nice relaxing Christmas at home this year...and have wonderful friends to share it with!!! :)

Friends and the Zoo

Just before Christmas, our friends, Audrey, John, and Owen came to visit. We had a great visit...wish we all lived closer. :(
Anyway, one day we went to the zoo, and Sammy, Kristin, Alix and Quentin joined us there. The zoo is pretty calm and quiet 2 days before Christmas...a great time to go! :)

Audrey and Owen
John and Audrey...Owen trying to move the giant elephant statue.

Jilly's favorite...feeding the giraffes.

playing veterinarians

Our Trip to Disney World

Ok, so I'm WAY behind on photos! Sorry about that. I have to go all the way back to mid-December to catch up. So here's our Disney trip that we went on for Mommy's Birthday.
The girls designed their own Mickey hats... :)

I lost count of how many times we rode the carousel -definitley the favorite ride. :)
Cinderella's step mother and step sisters...the best character greeting we went to...they were like a comedy routine...highly recomend them. :)

Jilly's favorite thing on this trip, was the parade. She waved to every character, and had the best look of wonder and amazement on her face through the whole thing. :)
Poor Ava fell asleep in the middle of the fireworks show.

Searching for bones in the Dino Pit at Animal Kingdom
Having Breakfast in Cinderella's Castle
The girls loved meeting the Princesses!
Shawn, commenting on Minney Mouse's amazing sculpting talent. ;)

Mommy's Birthday


For Dinner we went to a Hawaiian Dinner show.

Funnel Cake and Balloons...our 2 must haves at Disney World. Jillian asked every day for a balloon, and Shawn told her on the last day she could have one. In the Magic Kingdom, which is where we spent most of our time, balloons were everywhere, and the smell of funnel cake seemed to float around every corner.
So, on our last day in Disney, we decided to go to 2 parks we hadn't spent much time in...Animal Kingdom and Epcot. We had a great time in Animal Kingdom...saw a parade, the Nemo musical, played in the dinosaur sand pit. But by 4:00, we still hadn't seen one balloon, or smelled one funnel cake! So we asked the always cheerful Disney staff where to find these items. And they cheerfully informed us that Animal Kingdom doesn't sell balloons or funnel cake! :( -awesome.
So off we go to Epcot, in search of these items, because surely, Epcot will have them. Well, after an hour in Epcot, we discover there is only ONE stand that sells funnel cake...and it's the furthest away you can possibly get. And the only place in Disney World you can purchase a balloon, is in Magic Kingdom --where we spent 3 days and never got one. Again, totally Awesome.
So here we are, exhausted after 4 days of trekking around Disney, with aching feet, and sore backs, from carrying sleeping children...finally eating a funnel cake. -Everyone was full after sharing just half of it, and the rest went in the garbage. -totally worth it. (snort) :)

Some cool views at Epcot...
A huge choir singing along to a reading of the Christmas story.
Jillian loved this giant Christmas tree! :)