Christmas Cards

This year I had the pleasure of taking a ton of pictures for my friends for their Christmas cards.  I was so happy to get great pictures for everyone to use for their Christmas cards!  I had so much fun taking all of these pictures but I will say there were many photos that did not make the cut but I thought were fabulous!  A friend of mine (thanks Pat) just kept saying people should do their Christmas cards with their REAL pictures of their kids!  So while I strive to get the "perfect picture"  I do love the ones that didn't turn out quite so perfect.  Therefore, I am dedicating a whole post to all of "those pictures" that didn't make the cut.

Here is Baby Brendan!  He was an angel the whole time but here is one where he is just screaming "ENOUGH ALREADY!  I AM FREEZING!!!"

"Get him off of me!!"

"I DON'T WANNA SAY CHEESE!!"

 

"WHAT THE H&^% IS WITH THAT LIGHT"

 "So I says to the Elf, he fits down the chinmey?!?  No way!!!"

"Uggghhh, I am soooo full!"

"Just keep smiling and look at the camera Zuess!"

"What the F&^*?!  Turn down the flash!!"

"NO WAY!  THIS IS JUST TOO RIDICULOUS! NO ONE IS GOING TO BELIEVE I AM REINDEER!!"

 "No Oliver!  You have to look there!!"

Say cheese!

If you could hear me I am saying "Just a few more guys!  Look at Mommy!!!  Say CHEESE!!!  I swear to God just look over here!!!!!!! SANTA IS WATCHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

So overall, I got some great pictures!  But these are the true Christmas cards photos that no one ever sees!  And just felt that they should be seen!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas Show

Today was Claire's Christmas Show for dancing.  This is her third year dancing and I cannot believe how big she is getting.  Click HERE and HERE and HERE to see the last three years.  

 Claire loves dancing with her BFF Giada.  They looked so cute in their costumes.

Claire looked great on stage.  She did her best and remembered almost all of the moves.

Even though she is starting to get shy in her old age, she still loves to be on stage!

Oliver loved watching the show.  He sat through the whole show and loved listening to the music (and snacking on goldfish and juiceboxes).  At one point he was blowing kisses at the ballerinas.

Oliver was so proud of his Sissy!  He couldn't wait to give her a hug after the show.

Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed watching Claire perform. 

Nana was sick so she couldn't make it but Papa was there to give his famous whistle when Claire was finished.

I was so proud of my baby.  She is growing up so quickly and becoming such a sweet young lady.

Great job Claire!  We are all so proud of you!!!!!!!!

After Claire's big show Oliver kept us all entertained at lunch by telling us "My eyes bwoken." So I gave him my glasses and he was all better :)

The Christmas Season

The Christmas season is upon us and I am loving every minute of it!!  The kids are at a perfect age to enjoy every moment of the Christmas season!

Oliver loved helping me decorate the tree this year.  He kept saying "These ornaments are booaful!"

Claire always loves putting the ornaments in just the right spot.

We have been wearing our Christmas jammies and watching tons of Christmas specials.

Oliver was very excited to see his favorite train again!

And of course, I have been taking absurd amounts of pictures!

My Christmas Angels.

My little Elves.

We started our newest tradition this year.  The Elf On The Shelf.  This Elf comes to your house and you must give him or her a name (ours is a girl elf).  Once she is named she is yours.  She will watch you all day and when you finally fall asleep, she heads back to the North Pole and reports back to Santa.  Then the next morning she returns and hides in a new spot to watch you for the day.  And you can't touch her or she will lose her magic.  The kids are LOVING this!  They named her Cozy (it was between that and Sparkle Train).  She first appeared in Oliver's stocking.

Then this morning she showed up in the upstairs hallway.  The kids love her and they are being on their best behavior so she will give Santa a good report.

I absolutely love this time of year.  Everything is so happy and magical!!  I love that the kids are really getting into every little thing!!  I am so happy with all of the traditions that we have started and I am truly enjoying every second of this season.

The Santa Express

We had a great day at The Santa Express.  This is our third year going and every year we have a blast (click HERE and HERE to see the last two years).  This year a bunch of our friends went and the kids all had a blast playing together!!

The kids loved singing Christmas songs.

Claire loved playing with her buddies.

Oliver loved playing with Owen.

Shannon and Charlie snuggling up on the train.

Oliver loved sitting on Papa's lap during the train ride.  He loved hearing the whistle!

Even Mark and I got a picture together.

Brian was a hit in his Grinch shirt.

Oliver was in his glory watching all the trains.

Claire loved walking on the tracks with her Daddy.

Oliver loved testing out all the trains.

He didn't even mind waiting in the long line for hot chocolate with Grandma.

Claire and Giada couldn't wait to get their hands on some hot chocolate and cookies.

Uncle Nick preformed some magic tricks to make the hot chocolate cool down a little more quickly.

Oliver wanted me to take his picture with the "train picture".

Claire enjoyed sipping on her hot chocolate and visiting with Owen while they waiting in line to see Santa.

Baby Nicholas had a great time on his first outing with the gang.

The kids loved visiting with Santa!  Oliver wasn't scared at all this year!

The cousins hanging with Santa.

Nicholas meeting Santa for the first time.

The Komosinski's taking their usual great "Quick Family Picture".

When we got home Mark put up the outside Christmas lights (because it is randomly 51 degrees out).  The kids changed into their other Christmas jammies and we watched Daddy. And I practiced taking some pictures.  I am getting very close to perfecting the "Christmas Light Picture".  It is not easy with two kids.

We had a great time!  It was really fun to have a bunch of friends and family with us.   I can't believe this is the third year that we have done this.  Time flies!!